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Williams vs Corning

54 miles apart. The biggest differences: household income (+60% in Williams) and street grid (2.5× in Corning).

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Williams, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,585 people
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Corning, CAHomes around $300KCalifornia · 8,155 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 · 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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $510 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 →
Corning$1,710/mo
Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $961/mo · Housing →

The difference: $510 a month, about $6,100 a year, between Williams and Corning.

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
WilliamsCorning
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F38°F
July high92°F94°F
Growing season (days)293d279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th79th
Outdoors & history
WilliamsCorning
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land0.8%1.2%
Settled19201907
National Register places—1
Archive photos1216
Famous people born here16
Community
WilliamsCorning
Library hours a week24 hrs29 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined11

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

54 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Williams ↔ Corning54 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.

WilliamsCorning
People
Population 5,585Lowest 8,155Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.1%Highest CA: +6.1% +7.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.4±2.2Lowest 20% below CA 31.3±2.4Highest 17% below CA
Corning and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.6%±5.5Lowest CA: 22% 31.7%±4.8Highest CA: 22%
Corning and Williams 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% 10.1%±2.6Highest CA: 15.7%
Corning 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% CA: 37.1% 14.5% CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±2.1Highest CA: 7.6% 3.9%±2.3Lowest CA: 7.6%
Williams and Corning 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 $56,627±$9kLowest 43% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $370,000±$19kHighest 50% below CA $313,100±$22kLowest 57% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,184±$326Highest 42% below CA $961±$182Lowest 53% below CA
Williams and Corning 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 $1,729Lowest 66% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.8%±20.6Lowest CA: 55.3% 61.7%±12Highest CA: 55.3%
Corning and Williams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.3%Lowest CA: 12% 17.9%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 52.2%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 9% below CA 18 minLowest 37% below CA
Work from home 2%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 7%±3.7Highest CA: 17.2%
Corning 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 14.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.8 miHighest 21.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Lowest 0.71Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Colusa (7%)Chico (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CorningFew work in Williams
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 1.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miLowest 3.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4 4
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 81.6Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #149 of 574 in CA#451 of 574 in CA
School district Williams Unified · Colusa County Office of EducationCorning Union Elementary · Corning Union High
High school in town Williams Junior/Senior HighCorning Union High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.3Highest 18.0Lowest
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.

Corning neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Best Coffee in Corning

1 neighbor in Corning can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Williams and Corning

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

Towns like Williams

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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