The Town FilesMendota, California
City in Fresno County · population 12,595 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $281,000
- Household income
- $50,342
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 26.6
Mendota is a city of 12,595 people in Fresno County, California. The median home is worth $281,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 75% of California towns.
How Mendota 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 Mendota is worth $281,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $50,342, which is more affordable than 64% of California towns. Median rent is $1,042 a month. 44.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mendota | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,042 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $50,342 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 44.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mendota
| People | Mendota | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 34.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 47.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Mendota
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
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mendota since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on February 14, 1998 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 2, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 12, 2023.
Severe weather in Fresno County since 1996
Fresno County has been included in 20 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 Fresno County
Fresno County had 427,076 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,904 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Mendota itself the ACS puts it at 11.5%.
Public schools in Mendota
7 public schools with 3,949 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendota High | 9-12 | 1,085 | 22.6 |
| McCabe Elementary | 2-6 | 960 | 25.3 |
| Mendota Elementary | K-6 | 844 | 24.1 |
| Mendota Junior High | 7-8 | 602 | 21.5 |
| Washington Elementary | K-1 | 413 | 19.7 |
| Mendota Continuation High | 9-12 | 38 | 19.0 |
| Mendota Community Day | 7-12 | 7 | 7.0 |
Towns near Mendota
- Firebaugh, CA7.8 mi · 8,096 people · home $242,400
- San Joaquin, CA14.9 mi · 3,701 people · home $266,300
- Kerman, CA17.7 mi · 16,016 people · home $370,900
- Dos Palos, CA21.1 mi · 5,798 people · home $299,500
- Madera, CA21.7 mi · 66,224 people · home $359,900
- Parksdale, CA23.8 mi · 3,234 people · home $274,700
- Madera Acres, CA24.2 mi · 9,162 people · home $346,800
- Chowchilla, CA25.9 mi · 19,039 people · home $364,000
Mendota questions
Is Mendota, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mendota scores better for retirees than 9% of California towns and quieter than 40%. 8.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.6).
How much does a house cost in Mendota?
The median owner-occupied home in Mendota is valued at $281,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,342, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,042 a month.
What is the weather like in Mendota?
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 Mendota get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mendota since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on February 14, 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)