Nogales receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Avenal
Nogales
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs77 · Top 23%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 9%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 44%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 11%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Avenal | Nogales | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,608 | 19,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,741 | $43,214 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $13,022 | $21,824 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 698/sq mi | 953/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $228,900 | $186,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,015 | $737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.5% | 49.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.5% | 7.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.8% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.2" | 14.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.1 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.79 | 18.19 | 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
Avenal
Elevated or high exposure: drought, heat wave, earthquake.
Nogales
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Avenal, CA · Nogales, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology