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Living in
Coalinga.
About
Life in Coalinga
Living here means embracing a working-class agricultural and energy community about 80 miles southeast of Salinas, where you're buying into affordability and stability rather than glamour or career opportunities. The median home price sits around $262,400 with median rent at $1,093 a month, so your dollar genuinely stretches—and the median household income of $75,451 reflects a community where people are building real equity without coastal pricing. The economy runs on agriculture, oil operations (Chevron and Aera Energy both have significant presence), cannabis cultivation—Coalinga was an early adopter of legal operations—plus institutional jobs tied to Pleasant Valley State Prison and Coalinga State Hospital, which means employment can feel limited if you're not in those sectors or agriculture.
Coalinga at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.7%
Foreign-Born
20.6%
Broadband Internet
87.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics20.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Coalinga: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Coalinga, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (69.8%), and 47.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.3%
of residents
65 and Older
10.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.6%
of households
Married Couples
47.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.98
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 46% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Coalinga
In Coalinga, rent runs 46% below the CA average, and home values are 64% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
34.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,308
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $297,863 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Coalinga and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Fresno County, which includes Coalinga, is 3 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Coalinga: Fresno County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Fresno County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Coalinga is about 2% of Fresno County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Coalinga Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Fresno, CA metro area
Commute20.9 min avg
How Coalinga residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Coalinga, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 mi
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
Small hub1.4M 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 62% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Coalinga runs 62% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
533.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
394
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Coalinga Police Department
Natural DisastersDense Fog most common — 59 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Fresno County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Fresno County, which includes Coalinga, the most common type is dense fog, with 59 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | Dense Fog | $11,000 |
| 2024 | 112 | Dense Fog | $1.0M |
| 2023 | 107 | Dense Fog | $9.6M |
| 2022 | 95 | Dense Fog | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 59 | Dense Fog | $50,200 |
| 2020 | 6 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 24 | Flood | $645,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | 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.
138 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Fresno County, county-wide
Coalinga is about 2% of Fresno County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality61 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Fresno County, which includes Coalinga, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
61
Good Days
105
per year
Moderate Days
226
per year
Unhealthy Days
3
per year
Fresno County, county-wide
Coalinga is about 2% of Fresno County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate99°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Coalinga has hot summers (avg high 99°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
99°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
83°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
8.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
131
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
22
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
37
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 38°F | 1.95" |
| Feb | 65°F | 41°F | 1.76" |
| Mar | 72°F | 45°F | 1.53" |
| Apr | 78°F | 49°F | 0.37" |
| May | 87°F | 56°F | 0.32" |
| Jun | 95°F | 63°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 101°F | 69°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 100°F | 67°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 95°F | 61°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 83°F | 52°F | 0.33" |
| Nov | 70°F | 42°F | 0.50" |
| Dec | 60°F | 37°F | 1.22" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Coalinga
Coalinga has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.8%
of residents
Coalinga Regional Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education21.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Coalinga
Coalinga's student/teacher ratio is 21.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pinnacles National Park, 53 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Coalinga
Coalinga has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pinnacles National Park (53 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
53 mi awayPublic Libraries in Coalinga
Coalinga Library
305 N. 4th St., Coalinga
Cities Near Coalinga
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Coalinga?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Coalinga FAQ
Is Coalinga, California affordable?⌄
Coalinga's median rent is $1,093/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $75,451/year. Median home value is $262,400.
Is Coalinga, California safe?⌄
Coalinga's violent crime rate was 533 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 394 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Coalinga, California?⌄
Fresno County, which includes Coalinga, has an unemployment rate of 8.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Coalinga, California?⌄
The cost of living in Coalinga is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,093/month and median household income is $75,451/year. The median home value is $262,400. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Coalinga, California?⌄
The average commute in Coalinga is 21 minutes, which is shorter than 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