Median Income
$51,230
household / year
Median Home Value
$263,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,070
gross / month
Cost of Living
100
national avg = 100

Is Dos Palos, CA a Good Place to Live?

Dos Palos is a small town of 5,755 in California, with a median household income of $51,230 and a 12.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 100 (US average = 100), which is 0% below the national average.

Strengths: Dos Palos's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Dos Palos is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Dos Palos 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: 99.5

Dos Palos's overall cost of living index is 99.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Dos Palos costs roughly 0% less than the average American city.

Metric Dos Palos, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $263,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,070 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 60.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,230 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Dos Palos's violent crime rate is 739.0 per 100,000 residents — 94% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
739.0 /100k
Property Crime
1882.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Dos Palos is served primarily by Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Dos Palos, CA National Avg
School District Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.9% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 64.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Dos Palos sees average highs of 55.6°F in January and 94.6°F in July, with 9.5 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricDos Palos, CA
Average High — January55.6°F
Average High — July94.6°F
Annual Precipitation9.5"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricDos Palos, CANational Avg
Population5,755—
Median Age37.538.9
Unemployment Rate12.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time33.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)54.1%59.3%
Black or African American1.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino32.3%18.9%
Asian1.5%6.3%
Under 1822.5%22.2%
65 and over19.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Dos Palos, CA 1 mi Dos Palos Y, CA 4 mi Los Banos, CA 13 mi El Nido, CA 13 mi Firebaugh, CA 13 mi

Dos Palos vs Other Cities

Dos Palos, CA vs South Dos Palos, CA Dos Palos, CA vs Dos Palos Y, CA Dos Palos, CA vs Los Banos, CA Dos Palos, CA vs El Nido, CA Dos Palos, CA vs Firebaugh, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Dos Palos's cost of living index is 100, where 100 is the national average. That makes Dos Palos roughly 0% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $263,200 and median rent is $1,070/month.
Dos Palos's violent crime rate is 739.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1882.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Dos Palos are operated by Dos Palos Oro Loma Joint Unified. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.6:1. 9.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Dos Palos, CA has a population of 5,755, a median household income of $51,230, and an unemployment rate of 12.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Dos Palos averages 55.6°F in January and 94.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 9.5 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Dos Palos, California is 5,755 with a median age of 37.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Dos Palos: cost of living index 100 (100 = US average), median home $263,200, median household income $51,230, crime index 153 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Dos Palos side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.