Median Income
$61,626
household / year
Median Home Value
$296,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,188
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Madera, CA a Good Place to Live?

Madera is a mid-sized city of 66,784 in California, with a median household income of $61,626 and a 12.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Madera stands out for lower-than-average crime.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Madera is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Madera 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: 104.3

Madera's overall cost of living index is 104.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Madera costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Madera, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $296,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,188 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 50.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $61,626 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Madera's violent crime rate is 393.5 per 100,000 residents — 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
393.5 /100k
Property Crime
1177.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Madera is served primarily by Madera Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Madera, CA National Avg
School District Madera Unified —
Elementary Schools 18 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 6 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 59.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Madera sees average highs of 54.5°F in January and 95.9°F in July, with 11.3 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricMadera, CA
Average High — January54.5°F
Average High — July95.9°F
Annual Precipitation11.3"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricMadera, CANational Avg
Population66,784—
Median Age29.238.9
Unemployment Rate12.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)35.4%59.3%
Black or African American3.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino55.9%18.9%
Asian1.8%6.3%
Under 1832.3%22.2%
65 and over8.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Parkwood, CA 3 mi Parksdale, CA 3 mi Madera Acres, CA 3 mi La Vina, CA 6 mi Fairmead, CA 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Madera

Madera, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93637

Madera vs Other Cities

Madera, CA vs Parkwood, CA Madera, CA vs Parksdale, CA Madera, CA vs Madera Acres, CA Madera, CA vs La Vina, CA Madera, CA vs Fairmead, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Madera's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Madera roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $296,800 and median rent is $1,188/month.
Madera's violent crime rate is 393.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1177.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Madera are operated by Madera Unified. The district has 18 elementary, 3 middle, and 6 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.7:1. 10.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Madera, CA has a population of 66,784, a median household income of $61,626, 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.
Madera averages 54.5°F in January and 95.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.3 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Madera, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93637.
The population of Madera, California is 66,784 with a median age of 29.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Madera: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $296,800, median household income $61,626, crime index 85 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Madera side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.