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Living in
Atwater.
About
Life in Atwater
Atwater offers an affordable entry point to California living if you don't mind the Central Valley setting. The community is young and family-focused—almost 45% of households have children under 18, and the median age is 33. Spanish is spoken at home by over 41% of residents, reflecting a strong Latino community that shapes local culture and services.
Atwater at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.0%
Foreign-Born
21.6%
Broadband Internet
91.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Atwater: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Atwater, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (77.4%), and 40.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.0%
of residents
65 and Older
12.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.9%
of households
Married Couples
43.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Atwater
In Atwater, rent runs 37% below the CA average, and home values are 51% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,407
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
52.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $418,754 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.8 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Atwater
Unemployment in Atwater is 3.8 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Atwater Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.3 min avg
How Atwater residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Atwater, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Merced Regional Macready Field (MCE)
Regional airport · few flights4,935 passengers boarded in 2025
- 72 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 99 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 76% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Atwater runs 76% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
578.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,066.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Atwater Police Department
Natural DisastersDense Fog most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Merced County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Merced County, which includes Atwater, the most common type is dense fog, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2024 | 58 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2023 | 55 | Dense Fog | $10.0M |
| 2022 | 67 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2021 | 32 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2020 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 7 | Flood | $10,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
251 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Merced County, county-wide
Air Quality50 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Merced County, which includes Atwater, is typically good — 186 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
50
Good Days
186
per year
Moderate Days
179
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Merced County, county-wide
Climate93°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Atwater has hot summers (avg high 93°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
93°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
56°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
106
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
24
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
52
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 37°F | 2.67" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 2.24" |
| Mar | 67°F | 42°F | 1.89" |
| Apr | 73°F | 46°F | 1.01" |
| May | 82°F | 52°F | 0.59" |
| Jun | 89°F | 57°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 95°F | 62°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 94°F | 60°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 89°F | 56°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 79°F | 49°F | 0.73" |
| Nov | 65°F | 41°F | 1.18" |
| Dec | 55°F | 36°F | 1.98" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Atwater
Uninsured
9.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Atwater's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mercy Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Merced
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education22.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Atwater
Atwater's student/teacher ratio is 22.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Atwater (within 15 miles)
University of California-Merced
9.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,372 students · in-state tuition $16,271 · 71% graduate · median earnings $69,352 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Yosemite National Park, 66 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Atwater
Atwater has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Yosemite National Park (66 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Yosemite National Park
National Park
66 mi awayPinnacles National Park
National Park
68 mi awayDevils Postpile National Monument
National Monument
85 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
85 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
92 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Atwater
Atwater Branch Library
1600 Third St., Atwater
Cities Near Atwater
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Atwater?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Atwater FAQ
Is Atwater, California affordable?⌄
Atwater's median rent is $1,279/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $64,472/year. Median home value is $363,400.
Is Atwater, California safe?⌄
Atwater's violent crime rate was 579 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2066 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Atwater, California?⌄
Atwater has an unemployment rate of 9.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Atwater, California?⌄
The cost of living in Atwater is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,279/month and median household income is $64,472/year. The median home value is $363,400. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Atwater, California?⌄
The average commute in Atwater is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from