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Wasco vs Adelanto

129 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (29.7× in Adelanto) and street grid (3.5× in Wasco).

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Wasco, CAHomes around $317KCalifornia · 26,558 people
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Adelanto, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 37,964 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $510 more a month in Adelanto

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.

Wasco$1,850/mo
Typical home $317K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $1,089/mo · Housing →
Adelanto$2,360/mo
Typical home $398K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,437/mo · Housing →

The difference: $510 a month, about $6,100 a year, between Adelanto and Wasco.

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.

Report cards

Adelanto places higher on 12 of 22 CA lists

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.

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
WascoAdelanto
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F33°F
July high100°F98°F
Growing season (days)315d233d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th88th
Outdoors & history
WascoAdelanto
Conserved land0.8%0.2%
Settled19451915
National Register places1—
Archive photos123
Famous people born here5—
Community
WascoAdelanto
Library hours a week13 hrs29 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

129 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Wasco ↔ Adelanto129 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.

WascoAdelanto
People
Population 26,558Lowest 37,964Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.9%Lowest CA: +6.1% +19.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.6±1.1Highest 19% below CA 29.6±1.5Lowest 22% below CA
Wasco and Adelanto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.4%±2.7Lowest CA: 22% 33.6%±2.8Highest CA: 22%
Adelanto and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.4%±1.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 7.6%±1.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Adelanto and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 6.2%Lowest CA: 37.1% 7.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±1Lowest CA: 7.6% 6%±1.4Highest CA: 7.6%
Adelanto and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,727±$9kLowest 48% below CA $68,685±$6kHighest 31% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $273,600±$12kLowest 63% below CA $349,100±$11kHighest 52% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,089±$81Lowest 47% below CA $1,437±$117Highest 29% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,989Lowest 61% below CA $2,917Highest 43% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.8%±11.1Highest CA: 55.3% 57.6%±7.8Lowest CA: 55.3%
Wasco and Adelanto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 18.4%Highest CA: 12% 17.2%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 58.3%Lowest CA: 55.9% 61.9%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 19% below CA 47 minHighest 64% above CA
Work from home 2.9%±1.9Lowest CA: 17.2% 8%±2.2Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 16.7%Highest 7.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miLowest 37.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Highest 0.47Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bakersfield (16%)Victorville (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AdelantoFew work in Wasco
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Highest 0.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.8 miLowest 142.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 2.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.8Highest 14.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #470 of 574 in CA#542 of 574 in CA
School district Wasco Union Elementary · Wasco Union HighAdelanto Elementary · Desert Trails Preparatory Academy District
High school in town Wasco HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 21.5 —
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.

Wasco neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

What used to be there

1 neighbor in Wasco can answer.

Adelanto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Adelanto’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wasco and Adelanto

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Wasco

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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