The Town FilesChowchilla, California
City in Madera County · population 19,039 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $364,000
- Household income
- $66,514
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 34.2
Chowchilla is a city of 19,039 people in Madera County, California. The median home is worth $364,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 83% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of California towns.
How Chowchilla 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 Chowchilla is worth $364,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $66,514, which is more affordable than 67% of California towns. Median rent is $1,178 a month. 57.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chowchilla | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $364,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,178 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $66,514 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 57.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chowchilla
| People | Chowchilla | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Chowchilla
July highs average 97.7°F and January lows 38.6°F. About 10.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 109 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chowchilla since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 28, 1998 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 28, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on April 7, 2015.
Severe weather in Madera County since 1996
Madera County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Madera County
Madera County had 56,858 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,070 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Chowchilla itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in Chowchilla
9 public schools with 3,691 students, about 23.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chowchilla Union High | 9-12 | 1,067 | 23.2 |
| Merle L. Fuller Elementary | K-2 | 540 | 22.5 |
| Ronald Reagan Elementary | 3-4 | 481 | 22.9 |
| Wilson Middle | 7-8 | 475 | 22.6 |
| Fairmead Elementary | 5-6 | 473 | 26.3 |
| Dairyland Elementary | 4-8 | 215 | 23.9 |
| Stephens Elementary | K-2 | 202 | 25.3 |
| Alview Elementary | K-3 | 171 | 21.4 |
| Gateway High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 67 | 67.0 |
Towns near Chowchilla
- Madera Acres, CA11.4 mi · 9,162 people · home $346,800
- Planada, CA12.8 mi · 4,164 people · home $266,400
- Madera, CA13.5 mi · 66,224 people · home $359,900
- Parksdale, CA16.9 mi · 3,234 people · home $274,700
- Merced, CA18.4 mi · 86,333 people · home $372,600
- Firebaugh, CA21.6 mi · 8,096 people · home $242,400
- Franklin, CA21.6 mi · 6,919 people · home $308,200
- Bonadelle Ranchos, CA21.8 mi · 5,497 people · home $486,800
Chowchilla questions
Is Chowchilla, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chowchilla scores better for retirees than 21% of California towns and quieter than 39%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.2).
How much does a house cost in Chowchilla?
The median owner-occupied home in Chowchilla is valued at $364,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,514, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,178 a month.
What is the weather like in Chowchilla?
July highs average 97.7°F and January lows 38.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Chowchilla get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chowchilla since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 28, 1998. 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)