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Los Banos vs Madera

42 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (29 min in Madera) and growth since 2010 (+18.8 pts in Los Banos).

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Los Banos, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 47,593 people
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Madera, CAHomes around $426KCalifornia · 67,831 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Los BanosAn outdoors town
Outdoors#190 most walkable in CA6.4 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves Housing$461K typical home40% below the CA typical home SchoolsBetter than 20%of CA districts All about Los Banos →
MaderaHomes around $426K
Housing$426K typical home44% below the CA typical home SchoolsBetter than 68%of CA districts Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Madera →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute29 min
Madera has the shorter commute
Los Banos 55 minMadera 26 min
Growth since 2010+18.8 pts
Los Banos has grown faster since 2010
Los Banos +26.6%Madera +7.8%
Home values+23%
Homes cost more in Los Banos
Los Banos $440,900Madera $359,900
Property tax bill+27%
Tax bills are bigger in Los Banos
Los Banos $2,918Madera $2,295
Jobs per worker+75%
Madera is more of a job hub
Madera 0.84Los Banos 0.48
Rent+15%
Rent runs higher in Los Banos
Los Banos $1,557Madera $1,353
★ What stands out · Report cards

Los Banos places higher on 13 of 23 CA lists

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
C+Los BanosSafer than 37% of U.S. towns CMaderaSafer than 28% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−Los BanosBetter than 20% of districts in the state B+MaderaBetter than 68% of districts in the state
Health
CLos BanosHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns DMaderaHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns
13Los Banos
8Madera

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #841#293 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #42#260 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #770#603 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #489#620 Lowest obesityHealth · 844 towns #633#766 Most walkableOutdoors · 841 towns #190#321 SafestSafety · 411 towns #156#217 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #667#785

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Los Banos

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.

Los Banos$2,670/mo
Typical home $461K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $1,557/mo · Housing →
Madera$2,460/mo
Typical home $426K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $1,353/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Los Banos and Madera.

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
Los BanosMadera
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F38°F
July high95°F96°F
Growing season (days)322d281d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)72nd80th
Outdoors & history
Los BanosMadera
Trails6 mi6 mi
Conserved land3%2.5%
Settled—1876
National Register places21
Archive photos129
Famous people born here1128
Community
Los BanosMadera
Library hours a week37 hrs41 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

42 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Los BanosCAMaderaCA
Los Banos ↔ Madera42 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.

Los BanosMadera
People
Population 47,593Lowest 67,831Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +26.6%Highest CA: +6.1% +7.8%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 30.3±1.1Lowest 20% below CA 30.4±0.7Highest 20% below CA
Madera and Los Banos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31%±2.7Highest CA: 22% 30.8%±1.6Lowest CA: 22%
Los Banos and Madera are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.9%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7% 9.6%±0.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Los Banos and Madera are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 10.9%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.9%±1.2Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.1%±1.1Highest CA: 7.6%
Madera and Los Banos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $68,171±$8kHighest 31% below CA $63,933±$5kLowest 36% below CA
Los Banos and Madera are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $440,900±$8kHighest 40% below CA $359,900±$9kLowest 51% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,557±$96Highest 24% below CA $1,353±$58Lowest 34% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,918Highest 43% below CA $2,295Lowest 55% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.7%±8.1Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.3%±4.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Madera and Los Banos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.4%Lowest CA: 12% 25.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 54.7%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 21 yrs newer than CA 1991Lowest 15 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 55 minHighest 90% above CA 26 minLowest 10% below CA
Work from home 6.1%±2.2Lowest CA: 17.2% 6.9%±1.4Highest CA: 17.2%
Madera and Los Banos are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 21.1%Lowest 27.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 41.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.48Lowest 0.84Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Merced (4%)Fresno (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MaderaFew work in Los Banos
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 6.4 miHighest 5.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 23Highest 9Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 110Highest 86.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #538 of 574 in CA#495 of 574 in CA
School district Los Banos Unified · Merced County Office of EducationSherman Thomas STEM Academy District · Madera Unified
High school in town Pacheco HighMatilda Torres High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.3Lowest 20.5Highest
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.

Los Banos neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Los Banos’s Town Square.

Madera neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Madera’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks California towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

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