Median Income
$61,806
household / year
Median Home Value
$258,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,014
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Willows, CA a Good Place to Live?

Willows is a small town of 6,201 in California, with a median household income of $61,806 and a 9.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Willows stands out for short average commutes.

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

All Willows 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: 102.4

Willows's overall cost of living index is 102.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Willows costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Willows, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $258,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,014 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 46.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $61,806 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Willows's violent crime rate is 422.6 per 100,000 residents — 11% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
422.6 /100k
Property Crime
880.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Willows is served primarily by Willows Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Willows, CA National Avg
School District Willows Unified —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 77.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Willows sees average highs of 58.4°F in January and 94.8°F in July, with 21.9 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricWillows, CA
Average High — January58.4°F
Average High — July94.8°F
Annual Precipitation21.9"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricWillows, CANational Avg
Population6,201—
Median Age32.638.9
Unemployment Rate9.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)65.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino20.1%18.9%
Asian11.2%6.3%
Under 1830.4%22.2%
65 and over13.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Artois, CA 8 mi Princeton, CA 12 mi Orland, CA 16 mi Maxwell, CA 16 mi Hamilton City, CA 19 mi

ZIP Codes in Willows

Willows, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

95988

Willows vs Other Cities

Willows, CA vs Artois, CA Willows, CA vs Princeton, CA Willows, CA vs Orland, CA Willows, CA vs Maxwell, CA Willows, CA vs Hamilton City, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Willows's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Willows roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $258,800 and median rent is $1,014/month.
Willows's violent crime rate is 422.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 880.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Willows are operated by Willows Unified. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1. 16.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Willows, CA has a population of 6,201, a median household income of $61,806, and an unemployment rate of 9.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Willows averages 58.4°F in January and 94.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 21.9 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Willows, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 95988.
The population of Willows, California is 6,201 with a median age of 32.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Willows: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $258,800, median household income $61,806, crime index 83 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Willows side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.