Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

–ArvinNot graded C−MendotaSafer than 18% of U.S. towns

Schools

AArvinBetter than 90% of districts in the state C−MendotaBetter than 24% of districts in the state

Health

D−ArvinHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns D−MendotaHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns

10Arvin

12Mendota

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #594#106 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 422 towns #307#83 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #238#568 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #286#473 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #407#599 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #644#468 Most remote workersWork · 801 towns #784#640 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #568#420

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Arvin’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Arvin$1,810/mo

Typical home $301K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.94% · or rent about $1,122/mo · Housing →

Mendota$1,900/mo

Typical home $333K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Mendota and Arvin.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

ArvinMendota

Snow a year0″0″

January low41°F 38°F

July high98°F 96°F

Growing season (days)334d 281d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)95th 83rd

Outdoors & history

ArvinMendota

Trails1 mi 2 mi

Conserved land1.6%1.3%

Settled—1942

Archive photos—2

Community

ArvinMendota

Library hours a week20 hrs 39 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

138 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ArvinCA MendotaCA

Arvin ↔ Mendota138 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs California average

ArvinMendota

People

Population 19,539Highest 12,577Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +14.4%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 25±1.9Lowest 34% below CA 26.6±1.4Highest 30% below CA

Mendota and Arvin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 36.3%±3.4Highest CA: 22% 34.6%±4.4Lowest CA: 22%

Arvin and Mendota are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 5.1%±1Lowest CA: 15.7% 8.5%±2.3Highest CA: 15.7%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 5%Lowest CA: 37.1% 5.3%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±1.4Highest CA: 7.6% 4.8%±1.5Lowest CA: 7.6%

Arvin and Mendota are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,183±$4kLowest 50% below CA $50,342±$8kHighest 49% below CA

Mendota and Arvin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $262,700±$15kLowest 64% below CA $281,000±$19kHighest 62% below CA

Mendota and Arvin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,122±$89Highest 45% below CA $1,042±$98Lowest 49% below CA

Arvin and Mendota are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,461Highest 52% below CA $1,536Lowest 70% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.7%±10.4Highest CA: 55.3% 49.8%±11.6Lowest CA: 55.3%

Arvin and Mendota are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 34.6%Highest CA: 12% 27.5%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 44.7%Lowest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1993Lowest 17 yrs newer than CA 1998Highest 22 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 15% below CA 31 minHighest 7% above CA

Work from home 1.8%±1Lowest CA: 17.2% 6.8%±3.8Highest CA: 17.2%

Work in townworking residents 10.8%Lowest 14.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 32.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.56Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Bakersfield (21%)Fresno (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MendotaFew work in Arvin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.6%Highest 1.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 2.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.2Lowest 70.3Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #286 of 574 in CA #473 of 574 in CA

School district Grow Academy Arvin District · Arvin UnionMendota Unified

High school in town Arvin HighMendota High

Students per teacherat that high school 25.9Highest 22.0Lowest

California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Arvin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arvin’s Town Square.

Mendota neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mendota’s Town Square.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Arvin vs Mendota

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Mendota places higher on 12 of 22 CA lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

138 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Arvin and Mendota

Towns like Arvin

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