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Willows vs Dos Palos

194 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (29× in Willows) and growth since 2010 (+15 pts in Dos Palos).

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Willows, CAHomes around $321KCalifornia · 6,190 people
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Dos Palos, CAHomes around $363KCalifornia · 5,765 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.

WillowsHomes around $321K
Housing$321K typical home58% below the CA typical home Outdoors#379 most walkable in CA2.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Willows →
Dos PalosHomes around $363K
Housing$363K typical home52% below the CA typical home Outdoors#93 most walkable in CA0.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Health89% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Dos Palos →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails29×
Willows has more miles of trail
Willows 2.9 miDos Palos 0.1 mi
Growth since 2010+15 pts
Dos Palos has grown faster since 2010
Dos Palos +17.1%Willows +2.1%
Street grid+70%
Dos Palos has the more walkable street grid
Dos Palos 132Willows 77.6
Jobs per worker+69%
Willows is more of a job hub
Willows 1.00Dos Palos 0.59
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Dos Palos

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.

Willows$1,860/mo
Typical home $321K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $1,237/mo · Housing →
Dos Palos$2,070/mo
Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Dos Palos and Willows.

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.

Report cards

Willows places higher on 11 of 20 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.

Safety
–WillowsNot graded C−Dos PalosSafer than 18% of U.S. towns
Schools
CWillowsBetter than 31% of districts in the state CDos PalosBetter than 26% of districts in the state
Health
CWillowsHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns DDos PalosHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns
11Willows
7Dos Palos

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

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #540#81 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #379#93 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #233#426 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #568#754 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #603#786 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #594#749 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #709#829 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #680#568

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

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
WillowsDos Palos
Snow a year0″0″
January low38°F39°F
July high94°F95°F
Growing season (days)279d322d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)72nd84th
Outdoors & history
WillowsDos Palos
Trails3 mi0 mi
Conserved land2%3%
Settled1886—
National Register places2—
Archive photos—3
Famous people born here—4
Community
WillowsDos Palos
Library hours a week28 hrs19 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

194 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WillowsCADos PalosCA
Willows ↔ Dos Palos194 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.

WillowsDos Palos
People
Population 6,190Highest 5,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +17.1%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 38.6±5.3Highest about the CA average 37±3.8Lowest about the CA average
Willows and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.4%±5.6Lowest CA: 22% 24.1%±7Highest CA: 22%
Dos Palos and Willows are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.3%±4.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 21.8%±7.3Highest CA: 15.7%
Dos Palos and Willows are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.8%Highest CA: 37.1% 11.3%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±2.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.8%±2.9Highest CA: 7.6%
Dos Palos and Willows are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $64,068±$18kHighest 35% below CA $42,367±$17kLowest 57% below CA
Willows and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $281,700±$32kLowest 62% below CA $299,500±$37kHighest 59% below CA
Dos Palos and Willows are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,237±$173Highest 39% below CA $1,125±$440Lowest 45% below CA
Willows and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,904Highest 63% below CA $1,663Lowest 68% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60%±18.8Highest CA: 55.3% 31.1%±14.5Lowest CA: 55.3%
Willows and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.3%Highest CA: 12% 17.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.1%Lowest CA: 55.9% 60.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 1 yr older than CA 1976Highest same as CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 15% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 7.4%±4.1Highest CA: 17.2% 7.3%±5.5Lowest CA: 17.2%
Willows and Dos Palos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 23.4%Highest 19.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miLowest 27.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.00Highest 0.59Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Chico (7%)Los Banos (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dos PalosFew work in Willows
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Lowest 3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.9 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 77.6Lowest 132Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #431 of 574 in CA#395 of 574 in CA
School district Glenn County ROP · Walden Academy DistrictDos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified
High school in town Willows HighDos Palos High
Students per teacherat that high school 18.8Lowest 19.4Highest
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.

Willows neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Willows’s Town Square.

Dos Palos neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Dos Palos History

1 neighbor in Dos Palos can answer.

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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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