Delano receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Delano
Tulare
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs66 · Top 22%
Climate
66 · Bottom 37%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs49 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Delano | Tulare | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,679 | 70,945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,010 | $72,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,847 | $27,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,512/sq mi | 3,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,900 | $329,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,199 | $1,435 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 22.8% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.3% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 197 | 497 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.1% | 20.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 97°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.5" | 8.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.9 | 29.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.86 | 22.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.5% | 73.9% | 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
Delano
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, wildfire, earthquake.
Tulare
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Delano, CA · Tulare, CA · How this is calculated: methodology