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Living in
Madera.
About
Life in Madera
Madera is a working agricultural hub in the Central Valley where you'll find a younger, family-oriented community and relatively affordable housing compared to coastal California—median home values around $360,000 and rents near $1,353 monthly. Jobs center on agriculture, food processing, education, and logistics, though the unemployment rate sits at 8.5%, which is notably higher than state averages, so employment can be competitive depending on your field. The climate is a real consideration: summers are genuinely hot with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and hitting triple digits about 30 days a year, while winters are mild but the area only gets about 11 inches of rain annually concentrated in winter months.
Madera at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
25.6%
Foreign-Born
25.6%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
+4.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Madera: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Madera, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (89.3%), and 58.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.8%
of residents
65 and Older
9.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.7%
of households
Married Couples
44.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.82
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 34% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Madera
In Madera, rent runs 34% below the CA average, and home values are 51% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,295
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
54.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $423,208 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Madera
Unemployment in Madera is 3 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 Madera Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.7 min avg
How Madera residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Madera, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
Small hub1.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 107 mi
Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Medium hub5.3M passengers boarded in 2025
- 135 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 31% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Madera runs 31% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
431.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,089.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Madera Police Department
Natural DisastersDense Fog most common — 38 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Madera County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Madera County, which includes Madera, the most common type is dense fog, with 38 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | Dense Fog | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 81 | Dense Fog | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 67 | Dense Fog | $20,000 |
| 2022 | 83 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2021 | 38 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2020 | 2 | Funnel Cloud | None reported |
| 2019 | 9 | Funnel Cloud | $11,000 |
| 2018 | 3 | Flood | $10,000 |
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.
159 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Madera County, county-wide
Air Quality50 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Madera County, which includes Madera, is typically good — 184 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
50
Good Days
184
per year
Moderate Days
178
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Madera County, county-wide
Climate96°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Madera has hot summers (avg high 96°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
96°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
109
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
25
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
58
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 39°F | 2.08" |
| Feb | 63°F | 41°F | 1.99" |
| Mar | 69°F | 44°F | 1.98" |
| Apr | 75°F | 46°F | 0.89" |
| May | 84°F | 52°F | 0.47" |
| Jun | 92°F | 58°F | 0.16" |
| Jul | 98°F | 63°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 97°F | 61°F | 0.00" |
| Sep | 92°F | 58°F | 0.03" |
| Oct | 80°F | 50°F | 0.44" |
| Nov | 66°F | 42°F | 0.92" |
| Dec | 56°F | 38°F | 1.82" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Madera
Madera has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.5%
of residents
Madera Community Hospital
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.
Education22.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Madera
Madera's student/teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 10.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
30
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
10.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Yosemite National Park, 68 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Madera
Madera has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Yosemite National Park (68 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Yosemite National Park
National Park
68 mi awayPinnacles National Park
National Park
69 mi awayDevils Postpile National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awaySequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Madera
Madera County Law Library
209 W. Yosemite Ave., Madera
Madera Library
121 N. G St., Madera
Cities Near Madera
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Madera?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Madera FAQ
Is Madera, California affordable?⌄
Madera's median rent is $1,353/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $63,933/year. Median home value is $359,900.
Is Madera, California safe?⌄
Madera's violent crime rate was 432 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1090 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Madera, California?⌄
Madera has an unemployment rate of 8.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Madera, California?⌄
The cost of living in Madera is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,353/month and median household income is $63,933/year. The median home value is $359,900. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Madera, California?⌄
The average commute in Madera is 26 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