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Compare towns

Williams vs Biggs

29 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.7× in Biggs) and homeowners (+17.7 pts renters in Williams).

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Williams, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,585 people
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Biggs, CAHomes around $339KCalifornia · 2,307 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.

WilliamsKnown for its schools
Schools#149 for schools in CAof 574 towns Housing$382K typical home50% below the CA typical home Health55% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Williams →
BiggsHomes around $339K
Housing$339K typical home56% below the CA typical home HealthHealthier than 63%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Biggs →
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.

Street grid2.7×
Biggs has the more walkable street grid
Biggs 87.0Williams 32.1
Homeowners+17.7 pts renters
Williams has more renters
Biggs 71.2%Williams 53.5%
Typical home built23 yrs
Biggs’s homes are older
Williams 1998Biggs 1975
Work in town+15.2 pts
More of Williams’s workers stay in town
Williams 17.8%Biggs 2.6%
Growth since 2010+7 pts
Biggs has grown faster since 2010
Biggs +15.1%Williams +8.1%
Size2.4×
Williams is the bigger place
Williams 5,585Biggs 2,307
★ 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
CWilliamsSafer than 34% of U.S. towns –BiggsNot graded
Schools
A−WilliamsBetter than 79% of districts in the state B−BiggsBetter than 47% of districts in the state
Health
C+WilliamsHealthier than 45% of U.S. towns BBiggsHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $260 more a month in Williams

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.

Williams$2,220/mo
Typical home $382K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,184/mo · Housing →
Biggs$1,960/mo
Typical home $339K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $1,474/mo · Housing →

The difference: $260 a month, about $3,100 a year, between Williams and Biggs.

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
WilliamsBiggs
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F38°F
July high92°F92°F
Growing season (days)293d293d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th58th
Outdoors & history
WilliamsBiggs
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.8%1.1%
Settled19201903
Archive photos612
Famous people born here1—
Community
WilliamsBiggs
Library hours a week24 hrs9 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

29 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WilliamsBiggsWilliamsBiggs
Williams ↔ Biggs29 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.

WilliamsBiggs
People
Population 5,585Highest 2,307Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +15.1%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.4±2.2Highest 20% below CA 28.4±7.1Lowest 25% below CA
Williams and Biggs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.6%±5.5Highest CA: 22% 27.9%±6.1Lowest CA: 22%
Williams and Biggs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 9.7%±3Lowest CA: 15.7% 12.2%±2.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Biggs and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 12.2%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±2.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 7%±3.9Highest CA: 7.6%
Biggs and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $90,761±$22kHighest 8% below CA $84,914±$23kLowest 14% below CA
Williams and Biggs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $370,000±$19kHighest 50% below CA $328,400±$20kLowest 55% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,184±$326Lowest 42% below CA $1,474±$212Highest 28% below CA
Biggs and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,544Highest 50% below CA $2,161Lowest 58% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.8%±20.6Lowest CA: 55.3% 52.4%±20.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Biggs and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.3%Highest CA: 12% 7.4%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 71.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA 1975Lowest 1 yr older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 9% below CA 24 minLowest 16% below CA
Work from home 2%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 4.1%±4.4Highest CA: 17.2%
Biggs and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 17.8%Highest 2.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.8 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Highest 0.40Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Colusa (7%)Chico (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BiggsFew work in Williams
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 87.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #149 of 574 in CA—
School district Williams Unified · Colusa County Office of EducationBiggs Unified
High school in town Williams Junior/Senior HighBiggs High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.3Highest 12.4Lowest
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.

Williams neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Remembering Old Williams

1 neighbor in Williams can answer.

Biggs neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Biggs’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Williams and Biggs

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Towns like Williams

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Waterford9,204 people · $402K homes
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Orland8,357 people · $342K 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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