The Town FilesAtwater, California
City in Merced County · population 31,970 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,400
- Household income
- $64,472
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 33.0
Atwater is a city of 31,970 people in Merced County, California. The median home is worth $363,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 83% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of California towns, more walkable than 73% of California towns.
How Atwater ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Atwater is worth $363,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $64,472, which is more affordable than 64% of California towns. Median rent is $1,279 a month. 52.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Atwater | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,279 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $64,472 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 52.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Atwater
| People | Atwater | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Atwater
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 36.9°F. About 12.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 24 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwater since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 16, 2002 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 9, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 12, 2012.
Severe weather in Merced County since 1996
Merced County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Merced County
Merced County had 84,952 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,952 a year. Unemployment was 9% in 2023; in Atwater itself the ACS puts it at 12.3%.
Public schools in Atwater
14 public schools with 8,788 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atwater High | 9-12 | 2,051 | 20.7 |
| Buhach Colony High | 9-12 | 1,658 | 20.0 |
| Mitchell Intermediate | 7-8 | 757 | 26.1 |
| Peggy Heller Elementary | K-8 | 707 | 22.8 |
| Bellevue Elementary | K-6 | 621 | 23.9 |
| Mitchell Elementary | K-6 | 550 | 25.0 |
| Elmer Wood Elementary | K-6 | 507 | 23.0 |
| Shaffer Elementary | K-6 | 422 | 24.8 |
| Juniper Elementary | K-6 | 420 | 24.7 |
| Thomas Olaeta Elementary | K-6 | 387 | 24.2 |
| Aileen Colburn Elementary | K-6 | 383 | 20.2 |
| Bellevue Senior Elementary | 7-8 | 197 | 21.9 |
Towns near Atwater
- Winton, CA2.4 mi · 11,709 people · home $339,400
- McSwain, CA2.8 mi · 4,480 people · home $690,100
- Franklin, CA4.0 mi · 6,919 people · home $308,200
- Livingston, CA7.4 mi · 14,172 people · home $372,700
- Merced, CA7.6 mi · 86,333 people · home $372,600
- Delhi, CA11.1 mi · 10,656 people · home $349,700
- Hilmar-Irwin, CA14.3 mi · 5,164 people · home $449,600
- Planada, CA15.8 mi · 4,164 people · home $266,400
Atwater questions
Is Atwater, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Atwater scores better for retirees than 12% of California towns and quieter than 14%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Atwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Atwater is valued at $363,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,472, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,279 a month.
What is the weather like in Atwater?
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 36.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Atwater get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 16, 2002. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)