Madera 51 Poor
Madera Livability #1,053 ranked city in California#25,190 ranked city in the USARanks better than 14% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Madera

PROS
  • Housing Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    It appears that many amenities may not be conveniently situated within walking distance, potentially necessitating the use of a vehicle or public transit.

  • Commute Commute

    Commuters in this area may experience longer-than-average work commute times due to limited public transportation access.

  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    Residents of this area contend with a high cost of living, resulting in increased expenditures for everyday goods and services, housing, utilities and health care.

  • Employment Employment

    The combination of low income levels and high unemployment rates contributes to a low score in the employment category, which could make it challenging to secure well-paying jobs.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    Factors like poor air quality and the absence of essential health-related facilities like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and pharmacies could have played a role in the low score in this category.

What's it like Living in Madera?

Located in the state of California, Madera is a moderately-sized city with a population of 67,330 people. In Madera, there are 4,264 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. More than a quarter of the residents of Madera identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 59% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. If you are a young adult or student, you might be pleased to know that the average age of all Madera residents is 29. Long travel times to work can be one of the most frustrating things in the world - right behind housework! If you decide that living in Madera is the right fit for you, your one way commute time will average 28 minutes, which is about average when compared to the national commute time of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Madera could be a positive experience compared to other cities in California if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. With useful information like commute, health & safety, education, employment and other key data points, finding the best places to live in Madera and in the areas around Madera is a much easier task.

With a livability score of 52 out of 100, Madera is ranked #24,848 in the United States and #1,035 in California. This is a poor rating when compared to the average of other places in the country. Based on the scores for each individual category, Madera has been rewarded with high marks for housing (A+). Madera does not score well for the following: amenities (F), cost of living (D), education (F) and employment (D-). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Madera has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Madera is actually affordable. The median home price for Madera homes is $437,373, which is 40.2% lower than the California average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Madera, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 6, which is 22.1% lower than the California average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Madera

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Madera?

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Compare Madera, CA Livability

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      Madera transportation information

      Statistic Madera California National
      Average one way commute28min28min26min
      Workers who drive to work71.8%73.5%76.4%
      Workers who carpool17.0%10.6%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.7%5.2%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.4%1.1%0.6%
      Workers who walk1.1%2.7%2.8%
      Working from home3.3%5.4%4.6%
      Source: The Madera, CA data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.