Shafter receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
McFarland
Shafter
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 7%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 23%
vs74 · Bottom 39%
Access
93 · Top 48%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | McFarland | Shafter | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,222 | 21,193 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,608 | $71,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $17,492 | $24,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,243/sq mi | 548/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,700 | $335,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,131 | $1,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 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 | 6.0% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.1% | 20.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 106 | 308 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 14.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 307.7% | -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 | 19 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.3 | 28.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 24.31 | 19.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.3% | 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
McFarland
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Shafter
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: McFarland, CA · Shafter, CA · How this is calculated: methodology