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Compare towns

Williams vs Orland

41 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.8× in Orland) and trails (2.4× in Williams).

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Williams, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 5,585 people
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Orland, CAHomes around $395KCalifornia · 8,357 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

Orland places higher on 12 of 21 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.

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.

Williams$2,220/mo
Typical home $382K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,184/mo · Housing →
Orland$2,270/mo
Typical home $395K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $1,146/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Orland and Williams.

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
WilliamsOrland
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F38°F
July high92°F94°F
Growing season (days)293d279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th72nd
Outdoors & history
WilliamsOrland
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.8%2.4%
Settled19201909
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here1—
Community
WilliamsOrland
Library hours a week24 hrs40 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

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Williams ↔ Orland41 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.

WilliamsOrland
People
Population 5,585Lowest 8,357Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +13.8%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.4±2.2Lowest 20% below CA 33.3±1.8Highest 12% below CA
Orland 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% 34.2%±4.6Highest CA: 22%
Orland 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% 13.9%±2.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Orland 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% 11.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±2.1Highest CA: 7.6% 2.2%±1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Williams and Orland 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 $64,945±$8kLowest 34% below CA
Williams and Orland 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 $342,200±$15kLowest 53% below CA
Williams and Orland 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 $1,146±$129Lowest 44% below CA
Williams and Orland 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 $2,109Lowest 59% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.8%±20.6Lowest CA: 55.3% 49.8%±13.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Orland 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% 16.9%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 58.7%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA 1984Lowest 8 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 9% below CA 20 minLowest 29% below CA
Work from home 2%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 7.4%±4Highest CA: 17.2%
Orland 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 15.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.65Highest 0.52Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Colusa (7%)Chico (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OrlandFew work in Williams
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 2.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.1Lowest 88.8Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #149 of 574 in CA#444 of 574 in CA
School district Williams Unified · Colusa County Office of EducationOrland Joint Unified · Glenn County Office of Education
High school in town Williams Junior/Senior HighOrland High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.3Highest 18.3Lowest
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.

Orland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orland’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Williams and Orland

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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