Shafter receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arvin
Shafter
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 14%
vs74 · Bottom 39%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 18%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Arvin | Shafter | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,539 | 21,193 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,183 | $71,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $15,612 | $24,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,055/sq mi | 548/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $262,700 | $335,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,122 | $1,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 8.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.0% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 34.6% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 308 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 14.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -38.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 6.4" | 6.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.0 | 28.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.00 | 19.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 94.9% | 87.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Arvin
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Shafter
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Arvin, CA · Shafter, CA · How this is calculated: methodology