Is Avenal, CA a Good Place to Live?
Avenal is a small city of 13,423 in California, with a median household income of $51,902 and a 12.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Avenal stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Avenal is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Avenal 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: 98.4Avenal's overall cost of living index is 98.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Avenal costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Avenal, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $211,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,043 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $51,902 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageAvenal's violent crime rate is 468.4 per 100,000 residents — 23% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Avenal is served primarily by Reef-Sunset Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Avenal, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Reef-Sunset Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 5.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 49.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Avenal sees average highs of 56.6°F in January and 98.7°F in July, with 7.5 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Avenal, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.6°F |
| Average High — July | 98.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Avenal, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,423 | — |
| Median Age | 30.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 12.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 33.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 24.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 3.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 68.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 5.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Avenal
Avenal, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: