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Walnut vs Altadena

19 miles apart. The biggest differences: typical home built (36 yrs in Altadena) and rent (+36% in Walnut).

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Walnut, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 27,611 people
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Altadena, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 41,705 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

WalnutKnown for its schools
Schools#31 for schools in CAof 574 towns HealthHealthier than 86%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#76 most trails in CA28 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves All about Walnut →
AltadenaOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 84%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates HistorySettled in 188713 places on the National Register Outdoors#206 most trails in CA14 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves All about Altadena →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Typical home built36 yrs
Altadena’s homes are older
Walnut 1982Altadena 1946
Rent+36%
Rent runs higher in Walnut
Walnut $3,202Altadena $2,355
Jobs per worker2.4×
Walnut is more of a job hub
Walnut 0.79Altadena 0.33
Trails2×
Walnut has more miles of trail
Walnut 28.1 miAltadena 14.4 mi
Property tax bill+23%
Tax bills are bigger in Walnut
Walnut $7,897Altadena $6,437
Average commute6 min
Altadena has the shorter commute
Walnut 34 minAltadena 28 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
B−WalnutSafer than 47% of U.S. towns –AltadenaNot graded
Schools
AWalnutBetter than 89% of districts in the state B+AltadenaBetter than 67% of districts in the state
Health
AWalnutHealthier than 86% of U.S. towns A−AltadenaHealthier than 84% of U.S. towns
10Walnut
10Altadena

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #52#599 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #690#397 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #5#196 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #463#296 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #769#609 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #76#206 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #103#241 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #43#158

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Walnut’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $450 more a month in Walnut

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Walnut$6,900/mo
Typical home $1.17M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $3,202/mo · Housing →
Altadena$6,450/mo
Typical home $1.13M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $2,355/mo · Housing →

The difference: $450 a month, about $5,400 a year, between Walnut and Altadena.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
WalnutAltadena
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)87th92nd
Outdoors & history
WalnutAltadena
Trails28 mi14 mi
Conserved land9.4%11.3%
Settled19591887
National Register places—13
Archive photos618
Famous people born here630
Community
WalnutAltadena
Library hours a week40 hrs48 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

19 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WalnutAltadenaWalnutAltadena
Walnut ↔ Altadena19 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

WalnutAltadena
People
Population 27,611Lowest 41,705Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.5%Lowest CA: +6.1% +0.2%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 46.8±1.7Highest 23% above CA 46.4±1.7Lowest 22% above CA
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.8%±1.9Highest CA: 22% 19.1%±1.6Lowest CA: 22%
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24%±1.9Highest CA: 15.7% 22%±1.6Lowest CA: 15.7%
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 57.3%Highest CA: 37.1% 53.3%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6% 5.2%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $129,449±$14kHighest 31% above CA $128,720±$12kLowest 30% above CA
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,014,000±$38kLowest 38% above CA $1,120,000±$30kHighest 52% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,202±$442Highest 57% above CA $2,355±$174Lowest 16% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,897Highest 54% above CA $6,437Lowest 26% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.5%±6.7Highest CA: 55.3% 60.9%±3.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Walnut and Altadena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.1%Highest CA: 12% 7.9%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 76.9%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA 1946Lowest 30 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 34 minHighest 17% above CA 28 minLowest 4% below CA
Work from home 19.7%±2.7Lowest CA: 17.2% 25.4%±2.7Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 7.6%Highest 4.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Highest 0.33Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (14%)Los Angeles (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AltadenaFew work in Walnut
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.4%Lowest 11.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 28.1 miHighest 14.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.1 miHighest 1.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 12Lowest 14Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 82.1Lowest 86.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #31 of 574 in CA—
School district Rowland Unified · Walnut Valley UnifiedOCS - South District · Pasadena Unified
High school in town Walnut HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 23.2 —
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Walnut neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Walnut’s Town Square.

Altadena neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Altadena’s Town Square.

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Bordering Walnut

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West Covina107,037 people · $780K homes
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Industry210 people
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Pomona147,943 people · $594K homes

Towns like Walnut

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Cerritos47,867 people · $935K homes
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Agoura Hills19,721 people · $1.1M homes
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Diamond Bar53,355 people · $902K homes
H
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Hercules26,302 people · $769K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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