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Watsonville vs Freedom

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (32× in Watsonville) and size (16.3× in Watsonville).

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Watsonville, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 51,712 people
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Freedom, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 3,172 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.

WatsonvilleAn outdoors town
Outdoors#111 most walkable in CA3.2 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 18688 places on the National Register Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Watsonville →
FreedomOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 61%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#319 most conserved land in CA0.1 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Freedom →
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.

Trails32×
Watsonville has more miles of trail
Watsonville 3.2 miFreedom 0.1 mi
Size16.3×
Watsonville is the bigger place
Watsonville 51,712Freedom 3,172
Jobs per worker4×
Watsonville is more of a job hub
Watsonville 0.87Freedom 0.22
Growth since 2010+22.2 pts
Freedom has grown faster since 2010
Freedom +24.9%Watsonville +2.7%
Street grid3.1×
Watsonville has the more walkable street grid
Watsonville 128Freedom 40.8
Work in town+20.8 pts
More of Watsonville’s workers stay in town
Watsonville 22%Freedom 1.2%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Freedom places higher on 11 of 18 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.

Schools
B−WatsonvilleBetter than 52% of districts in the state B−FreedomBetter than 52% of districts in the state
Health
CWatsonvilleHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns BFreedomHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns
6Watsonville
11Freedom

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #111#607 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #513#49 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #617#235 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #316#582 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #681#428 Most educatedPeople · 844 towns #714#497 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #697#495 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #550#387

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $410 more a month in Watsonville

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.

Watsonville$4,760/mo
Typical home $824K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,889/mo · Housing →
Freedom$4,350/mo
Typical home $755K (Census) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,621/mo · Housing →

The difference: $410 a month, about $4,900 a year, between Watsonville and Freedom.

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.

Where they are

Watsonville and Freedom share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

WatsonvilleFreedomWatsonvilleFreedom
Watsonville ↔ Freedom1.7 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
298 Freedom residents work in Watsonville (19.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Freedom →
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
WatsonvilleFreedom
Snow a year0″0″
January low40°F40°F
July high71°F71°F
Growing season (days)324d324d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)97th97th
Outdoors & history
WatsonvilleFreedom
Trails3 mi0 mi
Conserved land11.6%7.2%
Settled1868—
National Register places8—
Archive photos122
Community
WatsonvilleFreedom
Library hours a week48 hrs—
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.

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.

WatsonvilleFreedom
People
Population 51,712Highest 3,172Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.7%Lowest CA: +6.1% +24.9%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 33.8±1.2Highest 11% below CA 32.1±3.9Lowest 15% below CA
Watsonville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.1%±1.7Lowest CA: 22% 30.1%±6.7Highest CA: 22%
Freedom and Watsonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13%±1.2Lowest CA: 15.7% 14.3%±2.2Highest CA: 15.7%
Freedom and Watsonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 24.8%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.5%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.2%±3Highest CA: 7.6%
Freedom and Watsonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $78,393±$6kLowest 21% below CA $93,750±$41kHighest 5% below CA
Freedom and Watsonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $686,000±$25kLowest 7% below CA $755,300±$83kHighest about the CA average
Freedom and Watsonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,889±$100Highest 7% below CA $1,621±$209Lowest 20% below CA
Watsonville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,375Lowest 15% below CA $4,656Highest 9% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.1%±5Highest CA: 55.3% 35.8%±16.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
Watsonville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.7%Highest CA: 12% 7.3%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 44.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 56.6%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 1 yr newer than CA 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 9% below CA 31 minHighest 7% above CA
Work from home 6.4%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2% 5.4%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2%
Watsonville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 22%Highest 1.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.87Highest 0.22Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Santa Cruz (8%)Watsonville (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Freedom19% work in Watsonville
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 11.6%Highest 7.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 23Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 128Highest 40.8Lowest
Schools
School district Ceiba College Preparatory Academy District · Watsonville Prep DistrictPajaro Valley Unified · Santa Cruz County Office of Education
High school in town Watsonville HighSanta Cruz County Career Advancement Charter
Students per teacherat that high school 23.5Lowest 27.2Highest
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.

Watsonville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Watsonville’s Town Square.

Freedom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Freedom’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Watsonville

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Amesti2,818 people · $879K homes
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Interlaken8,068 people · $831K homes
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Corralitos1,884 people · $2M homes
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Pajaro2,899 people · $750K homes

Towns like Watsonville

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Paramount52,050 people · $534K homes
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Lynwood64,578 people · $598K homes
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Lompoc43,646 people · $473K homes
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San Pablo31,720 people · $552K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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