What it's like to live in Lemoore
Lemoore is a small city in California with commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lemoore deals with unemployment above the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
- Hot summers
How Lemoore compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lemoore
Based on Lemoore's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,110
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,200 a year
- 47% of Lemoore renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$65,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,830
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 10% above US
$1,555/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,555 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $328,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $328,300 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 70% above US
7.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 7.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 40% above US
462 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 998/100k · Lemoore Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 19% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 96°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 46% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (73 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lemoore's strongest point is commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,555/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Lemoore
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