Avenal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Barstow
Avenal
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 4%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs42 · Bottom 36%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs14 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 30%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Barstow | Avenal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,100 | 13,608 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,380 | $54,741 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,121 | $13,022 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 608/sq mi | 698/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,000 | $228,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,091 | $1,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% | 8.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 2.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 105°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 3.8" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 38.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.7 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 23.76 | 21.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.3% | 88.9% | 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
Barstow
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Avenal
Elevated or high exposure: drought, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Barstow, CA · Avenal, CA · How this is calculated: methodology