Living in Madera, CA
Small city in California
Madera is a small city in California, home to about 67,000 people, with 873,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Madera a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
- Easy flying: FAT is 24 mi away
- Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $404k and rents for $1,910 a month
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 10% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Smaller job market: about 873,000 people live within 31 mi
- Few dog parks: 1 within 9 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Madera ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Madera: common questions
What is the cost of living in Madera?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $404k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,910 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Madera?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.64% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Madera safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Madera?
Madera has mild winters: winter days average around 59°F and summer days around 96°F.
Does Madera get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, earthquakes and heat waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.57 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Madera?
The nearest major airport is FAT, about 24 mi away.
How Madera scores
Each bar compares Madera with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Madera right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.