Madera, CA

Census place 0645022 · pop 67,831

F24/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.64% · top 20%
🚽 Jobs7.6% · bottom 2%
Taxes
0.64% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Unemployment rateCounty-level7.6%2

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

7.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher10.9%3

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

10.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults25.7%4

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

25.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health21.1%4

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

21.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Physical inactivity37.0%6

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

37.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate25.6%8

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

25.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level25 days10

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

25 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,431/mo19

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,431/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Air quality (AQI)County-level52 AQI21

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

52 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4722

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership54.7%24

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

54.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult smoking16.2%24

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Violent crime rate402/100k24

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

402 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Adult obesity38.6%27

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

38.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level95/10032

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

95/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Median household income$63,93335

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$63,933 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Housing cost$359,90036

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$359,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time26 min38

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Broadband access90.7%42

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property crime rate1265/100k51

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

1265 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Population growth (5yr)+4.6%61

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+4.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden0.64%80

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.64% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Madera, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Madera scores 24/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Madera, CA?
Madera reports 402 violent crimes per 100k and 1265 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Madera, CA expensive to live in?
Madera has a median home value of $359,900 and typical rent around $2,431/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Madera, CA?
Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (7.6%) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Madera, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.64%) — 80/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.