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−MendotaSafer than 18% of U.S. towns BFirebaughSafer than 63% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−MendotaBetter than 24% of districts in the state C+FirebaughBetter than 42% of districts in the state

Health

D−MendotaHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns D−FirebaughHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns

13Mendota

9Firebaugh

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

Highest graduation rateSchools · 720 towns #599#12 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #386#54 SafestSafety · 411 towns #310#47 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #568#295 Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #106#289 Most trailsOutdoors · 677 towns #468#591 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #473#371 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #420#568

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Mendota’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%

Mendota$1,900/mo

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

Firebaugh$1,960/mo

Typical home $340K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $982/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $800 a year, between Firebaugh and Mendota.

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

MendotaFirebaugh

Snow a year0″0″

January low38°F 38°F

July high96°F 96°F

Growing season (days)281d 281d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd 84th

Outdoors & history

MendotaFirebaugh

Trails2 mi 1 mi

Conserved land1.3%1.6%

Settled1942 1914

Archive photos2 18

Community

MendotaFirebaugh

Library hours a week39 hrs 32 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

8 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MendotaFirebaugh

Mendota ↔ Firebaugh7.6 miles apart

Who commutes between them

118 Mendota residents work in Firebaugh (4.4% of its workers)

104 Firebaugh residents work in Mendota (3.8% of its workers)

Work & commute in Mendota →

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

MendotaFirebaugh

People

Population 12,577Highest 8,392Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +14.4%Highest CA: +6.1% +7.2%Lowest CA: +6.1%

Median age 26.6±1.4Lowest 30% below CA 31.4±4.1Highest 17% below CA

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

Kids under 18 34.6%±4.4Lowest CA: 22% 35.1%±6.2Highest CA: 22%

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

Age 65+ 8.5%±2.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 11.5%±3.2Highest CA: 15.7%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 5.3%Highest CA: 37.1% 4.8%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±1.5Highest CA: 7.6% 4.6%±1.7Lowest CA: 7.6%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $50,342±$8kHighest 49% below CA $47,734±$4kLowest 52% below CA

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $281,000±$19kHighest 62% below CA $242,400±$21kLowest 67% below CA

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,042±$98Highest 49% below CA $982±$111Lowest 52% below CA

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,536Lowest 70% below CA $1,548Highest 70% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.8%±11.6Lowest CA: 55.3% 54%±16.6Highest CA: 55.3%

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

Below poverty line 27.5%Lowest CA: 12% 36.6%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 44.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 46.7%Highest CA: 55.9%

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

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 7% above CA 26 minLowest 10% below CA

Work from home 6.8%±3.8Highest CA: 17.2% 3.4%±3.4Lowest CA: 17.2%

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

Work in townworking residents 14.8%Lowest 23.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 miHighest 28.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.56Highest 0.53Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (13%)Fresno (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Firebaugh4% work in Mendota

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 1.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 2.3 miHighest 1.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.3Highest 48.7Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #473 of 574 in CA #371 of 574 in CA

School district Mendota UnifiedFirebaugh-Las Deltas Unified

High school in town Mendota HighFirebaugh High

Students per teacherat that high school 22.0Highest 18.6Lowest

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.

Mendota neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mendota’s Town Square.

Firebaugh neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Firebaugh’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.

Mendota vs Firebaugh

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Mendota places higher on 13 of 22 CA lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

8 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Mendota and Firebaugh

Towns like Mendota

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