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.

Schools

AArvinBetter than 90% of districts in the state C+WascoBetter than 41% of districts in the state

Health

D−ArvinHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns DWascoHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns

7Arvin

15Wasco

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

Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #426#234 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #568#288 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #286#470 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #594#344 Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #407#581 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #644#529 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #420#534 Most conserved landOutdoors · 777 towns #596#671

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 →

Wasco$1,850/mo

Typical home $317K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $1,089/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

ArvinWasco

Snow a year0″0″

January low41°F 39°F

July high98°F 100°F

Growing season (days)334d 315d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)95th 46th

Outdoors & history

ArvinWasco

Trails1 mi 5 mi

Conserved land1.6%0.8%

Settled—1945

National Register places—1

Archive photos—12

Famous people born here—5

Community

ArvinWasco

Library hours a week20 hrs 13 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ArvinCA WascoCA

Arvin ↔ Wasco41 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

ArvinWasco

People

Population 19,539Lowest 26,558Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +5.9%Highest CA: +6.1%

Median age 25±1.9Lowest 34% below CA 30.6±1.1Highest 19% below CA

Kids under 18 36.3%±3.4Highest CA: 22% 28.4%±2.7Lowest CA: 22%

Age 65+ 5.1%±1Lowest CA: 15.7% 6.4%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 5%Lowest CA: 37.1% 6.2%Highest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±1.4Highest CA: 7.6% 5.4%±1Lowest CA: 7.6%

Arvin and Wasco 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 $51,727±$9kHighest 48% below CA

Wasco 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 $273,600±$12kHighest 63% below CA

Wasco 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 $1,089±$81Lowest 47% below CA

Arvin and Wasco 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 $1,989Lowest 61% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.7%±10.4Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.8%±11.1Highest CA: 55.3%

Wasco and Arvin 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% 18.4%Lowest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.4%Lowest CA: 55.9% 58.3%Highest CA: 55.9%

Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than CA 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 15% below CA 23 minLowest 19% below CA

Work from home 1.8%±1Lowest CA: 17.2% 2.9%±1.9Highest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 10.8%Lowest 16.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.69Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Bakersfield (21%)Bakersfield (16%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.6%Highest 0.8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 4.8 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.2Highest 52.8Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #286 of 574 in CA #470 of 574 in CA

School district Grow Academy Arvin District · Arvin UnionWasco Union Elementary · Wasco Union High

High school in town Arvin HighWasco High

Students per teacherat that high school 25.9Highest 21.5Lowest

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.

Wasco neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

What used to be there

1 neighbor in Wasco can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Arvin and Wasco

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Arvin

+ Compare

McFarland14,222 people · $273K homes

+ Compare

Parlier14,507 people · $256K homes

+ Compare

Mendota12,577 people · $281K homes

+ Compare

Dinuba25,475 people · $275K homes

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 Wasco

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Wasco places higher on 15 of 22 CA lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

41 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

What used to be there

Set another town beside Arvin and Wasco

Towns like Arvin

Post to Arvin

Check your email