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

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

Health

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

15Wasco

7Arvin

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

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

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

Wasco$1,850/mo

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

Arvin$1,810/mo

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

WascoArvin

Snow a year0″0″

January low39°F 41°F

July high100°F 98°F

Growing season (days)315d 334d

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

Outdoors & history

WascoArvin

Trails5 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0.8%1.6%

Settled1945 —

National Register places1 —

Archive photos12 —

Famous people born here5 —

Community

WascoArvin

Library hours a week13 hrs 20 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 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

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WascoCA ArvinCA

Wasco ↔ Arvin41 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

WascoArvin

People

Population 26,558Highest 19,539Lowest

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

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

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

Age 65+ 6.4%±1.3Highest CA: 15.7% 5.1%±1Lowest 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+ 6.2%Highest CA: 37.1% 5%Lowest CA: 37.1%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±1Lowest CA: 7.6% 6.9%±1.4Highest 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 $51,727±$9kHighest 48% below CA $49,183±$4kLowest 50% 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 $273,600±$12kHighest 63% below CA $262,700±$15kLowest 64% 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 $1,089±$81Lowest 47% below CA $1,122±$89Highest 45% 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 $1,989Lowest 61% below CA $2,461Highest 52% below CA

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 60.8%±11.1Highest CA: 55.3% 59.7%±10.4Lowest 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 18.4%Lowest CA: 12% 34.6%Highest CA: 12%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 2.9%±1.9Highest CA: 17.2% 1.8%±1Lowest 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 16.7%Highest 10.8%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ArvinFew work in Wasco

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.8%Lowest 1.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 4.8 miHighest 1.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.2 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest

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

Schools

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

School district Wasco Union Elementary · Wasco Union HighGrow Academy Arvin District · Arvin Union

High school in town Wasco HighArvin High

Students per teacherat that high school 21.5Lowest 25.9Highest

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.

Wasco neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

What used to be there

1 neighbor in Wasco can answer.

Arvin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arvin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wasco and Arvin

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

Towns like Wasco

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Selma24,659 people · $315K homes

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Dinuba25,475 people · $275K homes

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Adelanto37,964 people · $349K homes

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Reedley25,609 people · $335K 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.

Wasco vs Arvin

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 Wasco and Arvin

Towns like Wasco

Post to Wasco

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