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Living in
Los Banos.
About
Life in Los Banos
Los Banos offers an affordable small-city alternative for people working in the Bay Area or seeking a slower pace than Silicon Valley, with a median home value around $440,000 and median rent near $1,557 — considerably cheaper than most Bay Area markets. The community has real family-oriented character, with nearly 51% of households including children and strong ties to its agricultural heritage reflected in local restaurants, festivals, and the May Day Fair. Be prepared for genuine heat: summers regularly exceed 90°F for three months straight, and the landscape is semiarid with less than 10 inches of annual rainfall on average.
Los Banos at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.4%
Foreign-Born
25.9%
Broadband Internet
82.7%
of households
Population Growth
+8.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Los Banos: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Los Banos, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (81.5%), and 48.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.0%
of residents
65 and Older
10.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
42.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.3%
of households
Married Couples
51.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.54
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 24% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Los Banos
In Los Banos, rent runs 24% below the CA average, and home values are 40% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,918
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
59.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1997
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $456,554 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 6.6 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Los Banos
Unemployment in Los Banos is 6.6 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 Los Banos Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute54.6 min avg
How Los Banos residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Los Banos, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 42% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Merced Regional Macready Field (MCE)
Regional airport · few flights4,935 passengers boarded in 2025
- 63 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 92 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 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Los Banos runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
252.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,467.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Los Banos 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 Los Banos, 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.
240 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 Los Banos, 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
Climate92°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Los Banos has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
9.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
97
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
15
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
47
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 39°F | 2.07" |
| Feb | 62°F | 43°F | 1.83" |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 1.34" |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 0.65" |
| May | 81°F | 55°F | 0.46" |
| Jun | 89°F | 60°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 95°F | 64°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 94°F | 63°F | 0.01" |
| Sep | 90°F | 60°F | 0.05" |
| Oct | 79°F | 53°F | 0.46" |
| Nov | 66°F | 44°F | 0.85" |
| Dec | 56°F | 38°F | 1.66" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Los Banos
Los Banos has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Memorial Hospital Los Banos
Acute Care 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.
Education23.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Los Banos
Los Banos's student/teacher ratio is 23.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pinnacles National Park, 44 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Los Banos
Los Banos has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pinnacles National Park (44 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
44 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayYosemite National Park
National Park
89 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
95 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Los Banos
Los Banos Branch Library
1312 Seventh St., Los Banos
Cities Near Los Banos
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Los Banos?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Los Banos FAQ
Is Los Banos, California affordable?⌄
Los Banos's median rent is $1,557/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $68,171/year. Median home value is $440,900.
Is Los Banos, California safe?⌄
Los Banos's violent crime rate was 253 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1468 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Los Banos, California?⌄
Los Banos has an unemployment rate of 12.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Los Banos, California?⌄
The cost of living in Los Banos is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,557/month and median household income is $68,171/year. The median home value is $440,900. About 56% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Los Banos, California?⌄
The average commute in Los Banos is 55 minutes, which is significantly longer 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