Shafter receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Shafter
Wasco
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 14%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
70 · Top 16%
vs32 · Bottom 19%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs91 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Shafter | Wasco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,193 | 26,558 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,215 | $51,727 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,156 | $17,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 548/sq mi | 2,829/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $335,800 | $273,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,253 | $1,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.7% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 13.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 308 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.4% | -66.7% | 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 | 9 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.1 | 30.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.40 | 22.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.3% | 89.8% | 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
Shafter
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Wasco
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Shafter, CA · Wasco, CA · How this is calculated: methodology