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Winton vs Atwater

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (3.2× in Atwater) and jobs per worker (2.9× in Atwater).

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Winton, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 11,797 people
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Atwater, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 32,162 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.

WintonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 43%of CA districts Housing$363K typical home52% below the CA typical home Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Winton →
AtwaterKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 50%of CA districts Outdoors#143 most walkable in CA7.6 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves Housing$422K typical home45% below the CA typical home All about Atwater →
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.

Trails3.2×
Atwater has more miles of trail
Atwater 7.6 miWinton 2.4 mi
Jobs per worker2.9×
Atwater is more of a job hub
Atwater 0.53Winton 0.18
Street grid2×
Atwater has the more walkable street grid
Atwater 120Winton 59.9
Property tax bill+32%
Tax bills are bigger in Atwater
Atwater $2,407Winton $1,818
Size2.7×
Atwater is the bigger place
Atwater 32,162Winton 11,797
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Atwater

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.

Winton$2,070/mo
Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.54% · or rent about $1,156/mo · Housing →
Atwater$2,450/mo
Typical home $422K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $1,279/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Atwater and Winton.

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.

Where they are

Winton and Atwater share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

WintonAtwaterWintonAtwater
Winton ↔ Atwater2.7 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
230 Winton residents work in Atwater (5.8% of its workers)
171 Atwater residents work in Winton (1.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Winton →
Report cards

Atwater places higher on 11 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.

Safety
–WintonNot graded DAtwaterSafer than 11% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+WintonBetter than 43% of districts in the state B−AtwaterBetter than 50% of districts in the state
Health
C−WintonHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns CAtwaterHealthier than 25% of U.S. towns
9Winton
11Atwater

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #487#143 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #235#151 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #288#420 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #439#335 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #452#571 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #317#435 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 844 towns #766#667 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #356#289

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Winton’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
WintonAtwater
Snow a year0″0″
January low37°F37°F
July high95°F95°F
Growing season (days)263d263d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th61st
Outdoors & history
WintonAtwater
Trails2 mi8 mi
Conserved land3.3%1.8%
Settled—1922
National Register places—1
Community
WintonAtwater
Library hours a week—37 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

WintonAtwater
People
Population 11,797Lowest 32,162Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.3%Lowest CA: +6.1% +13.5%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 29.7±1.7Lowest 22% below CA 33±1.8Highest 13% below CA
Atwater and Winton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.3%±3Highest CA: 22% 29%±2.6Lowest CA: 22%
Winton and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 9.6%±1.8Lowest CA: 15.7% 12.4%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7%
Atwater and Winton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 7.4%Lowest CA: 37.1% 12.9%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 9.1%±2.3Highest CA: 7.6% 5.5%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,015±$5kLowest 42% below CA $64,472±$5kHighest 35% below CA
Atwater and Winton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $339,400±$12kLowest 54% below CA $363,400±$10kHighest 51% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,156±$88Lowest 43% below CA $1,279±$70Highest 37% below CA
Atwater and Winton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,818Lowest 65% below CA $2,407Highest 53% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 56.8%±12Highest CA: 55.3% 53.4%±7.7Lowest CA: 55.3%
Winton and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14%Lowest CA: 12% 21%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 49.9%Lowest CA: 55.9% 52.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 9% below CA 28 minHighest about the CA average
Work from home 4.5%±2.2Highest CA: 17.2% 4.2%±1.3Lowest CA: 17.2%
Winton and Atwater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.6%Lowest 10.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Lowest 0.53Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Merced (11%)Merced (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 6% work in Atwater1% work in Winton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.3%Highest 1.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.4 miLowest 7.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 11Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.9Lowest 120Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #356 of 574 in CA#289 of 574 in CA
School district WintonAtwater Elementary · Merced Union High
High school in town None in townAtwater High
Students per teacherat that high school — 20.7
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.

Winton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Winton’s Town Square.

Atwater neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Atwater’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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