Median Income
$48,109
household / year
Median Home Value
$224,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$924
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Wasco, CA a Good Place to Live?

Wasco is a small city of 26,317 in California, with a median household income of $48,109 and a 8.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Wasco stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Wasco 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: 102.2

Wasco's overall cost of living index is 102.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Wasco costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Wasco, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $224,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $924 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 59.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $48,109 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Wasco's violent crime rate is 723.4 per 100,000 residents — 90% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
723.4 /100k
Property Crime
2403.8 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Wasco is served primarily by Wasco Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Wasco, CA National Avg
School District Wasco Union Elementary —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 5.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 62.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Wasco sees average highs of 58.5°F in January and 100.0°F in July, with 7.1 inches of annual precipitation and 0.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricWasco, CA
Average High — January58.5°F
Average High — July100.0°F
Annual Precipitation7.1"
Annual Snowfall0.2"

Demographics

MetricWasco, CANational Avg
Population26,317—
Median Age30.238.9
Unemployment Rate8.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)40.1%59.3%
Black or African American4.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino52.5%18.9%
Asian0.8%6.3%
Under 1826.9%22.2%
65 and over6.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

McFarland, CA 9 mi Smith Corner, CA 9 mi Mexican Colony, CA 10 mi Cherokee Strip, CA 10 mi Shafter, CA 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Wasco

Wasco, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93280

Wasco vs Other Cities

Wasco, CA vs McFarland, CA Wasco, CA vs Smith Corner, CA Wasco, CA vs Mexican Colony, CA Wasco, CA vs Cherokee Strip, CA Wasco, CA vs Shafter, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Wasco's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Wasco roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $224,700 and median rent is $924/month.
Wasco's violent crime rate is 723.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2403.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Wasco are operated by Wasco Union Elementary. The district has 4 elementary, 2 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.6:1. 5.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Wasco, CA has a population of 26,317, a median household income of $48,109, and an unemployment rate of 8.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Wasco averages 58.5°F in January and 100.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 7.1 inches with about 0.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wasco, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93280.
The population of Wasco, California is 26,317 with a median age of 30.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wasco: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $224,700, median household income $48,109, crime index 160 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wasco side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.