1984 · JauchMHS · Wikimedia Commons
Mendota’s story
84 years in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1942Mendota is settled
- 1984JauchMHS
- 2006Mendota entrance sign 2006
MendotaCA
A town of 12,577, settled in 1942. A typical home worth about $333K.
Photo: David Jordan at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
12,577
+14.4% since 2010
Typical home
$333K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
26.6
years
Jobs based here
1,523
A commuter town
What makes Mendota stand out
The 3 things Mendota does most differently from other towns.
$333Ktypical home
Housing
$333K typical home
56% below the CA typical home
Up 5.2% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Mendota
Health
98% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than CA on 1 measures, worse on 24.
100 U.S. towns● Mendota
Safety
Safer than 18%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade C−. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
A growing town
Mendota has grown 14.4% since 2010
11,014 people in 2010; 12,577 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Mendota’s report card
Housing$333K56% below the CA typical homeHealthD−Healthier than 2% of U.S. townsSafetyC−Less crime than 18% of U.S. townsOutdoors2 miof trails · 1.3% conservedHazards83/100Very high risk of storm & flood damageSchoolsC−Beats 24% of CA districtsCommute33 miHalf of commuters travel lessClimate95°/38°Summer high · winter low
Now in Mendota
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Mendota? Is a D− for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Mendota’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →91°
Clear
H 0° · L 56°
Local news
All →- Sierra vs Mendota - Girls Varsity Basketball 02/05/2027 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 27
- Sierra vs Mendota - Boys Varsity Basketball 01/19/2027 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 25
- Mendota vs Avenal - Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball 09/24/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 24
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mendota. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Mendota home is worth about $333K
The typical Mendota home is worth about $333,000, up 5.2% in a year, 56% below the California typical home.
$333KZillow home value
Typical home value
Mendota$333K
California$764K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Mendota beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 24.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. California
1 better7 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Mendota | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 3.2% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 34.3% | 10.6% |
Madera Community Hospital
22.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
1st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 18% of U.S. towns
Mendota reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 82% report less.
C−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Mendota8.2
California4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Mendota8.7
California18.2
U.S.15.5
18th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
25th
percentile among CA towns
104
violent crimes reported in 2025
110
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Outdoors
1.3% of Mendota is conserved land
2.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
1.3%conserved
1.3%
conserved · 26 of 2,102 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#419
most walkable in CA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rojas Pierce Park | 0.4 mi | 10 |
| 2. Mendota Pool Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Lindgren-Lozano Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtEarthquakes
3
paid flood claims since 1978
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Mendota’s public schools outperform 24% of California districts
The public schools Mendota’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 76% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
C−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCabe Elementary | 2–6 | 986 | C− |
| Mendota Elementary | K–6 | 857 | C− |
| Washington Elementary | K–1 | 423 | Not graded |
| Mendota Junior High | 7–8 | 612 | C |
| Mendota High | 9–12 | 1,065 | B− |
| Mendota Continuation High | 9–12 | 24 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduationAll 7 schools →
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Mendota
Most working residents leave Mendota for work: only 15% work in town. The top destinations are Fresno (13%), Firebaugh (4%) and Kerman (4%). Half commute less than 33 miles.
15%work in town
Where working residents work
In Mendota15%
Fresno13%
Firebaugh4%
Kerman4%
Madera3%
33 mi
median commute distance
1,523
jobs based in Mendota
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Mendota has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 95°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–58°
Spring49–75°
Summer63–93°
Fall52–78°
Nov 30
typical first frost
Feb 12
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A commuter town
85% of working residents leave Mendota for work
Where Mendota’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,523jobs based in Mendota
15%of working residents work in town
33 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Mendota
City in California, United States
Mendota is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 12,595 at the 2020 U.S. Census. State Routes 180 and 33 run through the agricultural city. Mendota is located 8.5 miles (14 km) south-southeast of Firebaugh.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1942
- Population
- 12,595
- Area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 174 ft
- ZIP code
- 93640
- Area code
- 559
More about Mendota
Still missing for Mendota:upcoming events