Is Atwater, CA a Good Place to Live?
Atwater is a small city of 31,841 in California, with a median household income of $64,195 and a 11.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 100 (US average = 100), which is 0% below the national average.
Strengths: Atwater's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Atwater is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Atwater city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 99.5Atwater's overall cost of living index is 99.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Atwater costs roughly 0% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Atwater, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $315,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,182 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $64,195 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageAtwater's violent crime rate is 710.4 per 100,000 residents — 87% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Atwater is served primarily by Atwater Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Atwater, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Atwater Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 8 | — |
| Middle Schools | 3 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 72.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Atwater sees average highs of 54.1°F in January and 94.8°F in July, with 12.5 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Atwater, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 54.1°F |
| Average High — July | 94.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Atwater, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,841 | — |
| Median Age | 33.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Atwater
Atwater, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: