City comparison
Brentwood, CA is about 425 miles (700 km) from Poway, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 550 miles, or about 9 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Brentwood, CA to Poway, CA takes about 52 min, covering roughly 425 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Brentwood has a population of 64,443, vs 48,737 in Poway — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Poway covers about 39 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Brentwood.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Brentwood | Poway | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,451/mo | $2,165/mo | 13.2% higher in Brentwood |
| Median home value | $735,500 | $911,500 | 23.9% higher in Poway |
| Median household income | $134,689 | $135,605 | 0.7% higher in Poway |
| Groceries index | 107.4 | 107.6 | ≈ equal (Poway slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 165.3 | 169.8 | 2.7% higher in Poway |
| Transportation index | 104.8 | 100.0 | 4.8% higher in Brentwood |
| Healthcare index | 104.8 | 100.0 | 4.8% higher in Brentwood |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Brentwood, you'd need $99,393 in Poway to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Poway, CA is about 0.6% cheaper overall than Brentwood, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Brentwood, you'd need about $79,514 in Poway to keep the same standard of living.