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

C−WeedSafer than 22% of U.S. towns –San JoaquinNot graded

Schools

B−WeedBetter than 50% of districts in the state CSan JoaquinBetter than 25% of districts in the state

Health

C+WeedHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns D−San JoaquinHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns

14Weed

5San Joaquin

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

Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #397#832 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #456#835 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #762#420 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #550#838 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #390#661 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #341#515 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #231#360 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #643#403

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Down paymentRate%

Weed$1,750/mo

Typical home $308K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $788/mo · Housing →

San Joaquin$1,730/mo

Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $967/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

WeedSan Joaquin

Snow a year89″—

January low27°F —

July high85°F —

Growing season (days)143d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th 78th

Outdoors & history

WeedSan Joaquin

Trails18 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0.6%1.9%

Settled1961 1920

National Register places1 —

Archive photos18 3

Famous people born here4 —

Community

WeedSan Joaquin

Library hours a week25 hrs 39 hrs

Colleges in town1 —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

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

352 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WeedCA San JoaquinCA

Weed ↔ San Joaquin352 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.

Only big differences vs California average

WeedSan Joaquin

People

Population 2,737Lowest 3,708Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Highest CA: +6.1% -7.5%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 36±4Highest 5% below CA 25.3±3.9Lowest 33% below CA

Kids under 18 22.3%±6.3Lowest CA: 22% 40.2%±7Highest CA: 22%

Age 65+ 14.3%±3.7Highest CA: 15.7% 7.4%±3.1Lowest CA: 15.7%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.6%Highest CA: 37.1% 1.5%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 13.7%±4Highest CA: 7.6% 3.8%±2.9Lowest CA: 7.6%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $38,854±$8kLowest 61% below CA $43,011±$25kHighest 57% below CA

San Joaquin and Weed are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $259,600±$26kLowest 65% below CA $266,300±$23kHighest 64% below CA

San Joaquin and Weed are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $788±$245Lowest 61% below CA $967±$120Highest 53% below CA

San Joaquin and Weed are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,360Lowest 73% below CA $1,725Highest 66% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 68.4%±15.7Highest CA: 55.3% 40.2%±12.2Lowest CA: 55.3%

Below poverty line 33.6%Lowest CA: 12% 41%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 48.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 32.6%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than CA 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 41% below CA 24 minHighest 17% below CA

Work from home 3%±2.3Lowest CA: 17.2% 7.8%±7.7Highest CA: 17.2%

San Joaquin and Weed are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 26.5%Highest 4.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 31.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.28Highest 1.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Mount Shasta (16%)Fresno (17%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in San JoaquinFew work in Weed

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 1.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 17.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.7 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 36.7Lowest 73.3Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #341 of 574 in CA #515 of 574 in CA

School district Siskiyou Union High · Weed Union ElementaryGolden Plains Unified

High school in town Weed HighNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 14.5 —

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.

Weed neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Weed's Local Priorities

1 neighbor in Weed can answer.

San Joaquin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to San Joaquin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Weed and San Joaquin

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Towns like Weed

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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.

Weed vs San Joaquin

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Weed places higher on 14 of 20 CA lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

352 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Weed's Local Priorities

Set another town beside Weed and San Joaquin

Towns like Weed

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