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Williams vs Holtville

578 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.3× in Holtville) and property tax bill (+80% in Williams).

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Williams, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,585 people
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Holtville, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,617 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 $210 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 →
Holtville$2,010/mo
Typical home $357K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.45% · or rent about $861/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Williams and Holtville.

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
WilliamsHoltville
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F—
July high92°F—
Growing season (days)293d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th91st
Outdoors & history
WilliamsHoltville
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.8%3.1%
Settled19201908
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here14
Community
WilliamsHoltville
Library hours a week24 hrs36 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

578 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Williams ↔ Holtville578 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.

WilliamsHoltville
People
Population 5,585Lowest 5,617Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.1%Highest CA: +6.1% -5.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.4±2.2Lowest 20% below CA 34±6.3Highest 10% below CA
Holtville 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% 31.2%±7.4Highest CA: 22%
Holtville 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% 17.6%±4.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.5%Lowest CA: 37.1% 16.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±2.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.7%±4.1Highest CA: 7.6%
Holtville 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 $65,039±$27kLowest 34% below CA
Williams and Holtville 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 $310,100±$46kLowest 58% below CA
Williams and Holtville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,184±$326Highest 42% below CA $861±$115Lowest 58% below CA
Williams and Holtville 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 $1,410Lowest 72% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.8%±20.6Highest CA: 55.3% 46.5%±20.7Lowest CA: 55.3%
Williams and Holtville 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% 18.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.5%Highest CA: 55.9% 49.9%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA 1976Lowest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 9% below CA 18 minLowest 36% below CA
Work from home 2%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 3.8%±4Highest CA: 17.2%
Holtville 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 16.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.8 miHighest 11.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Highest 0.48Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Colusa (7%)El Centro (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HoltvilleFew work in Williams
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 3.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 107Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #149 of 574 in CA#240 of 574 in CA
School district Williams Unified · Colusa County Office of EducationHoltville Unified
High school in town Williams Junior/Senior HighHoltville High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.3Highest 15.5Lowest
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 · 1w

Remembering Old Williams

1 neighbor in Williams can answer.

Holtville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Holtville’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Williams and Holtville

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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