Population 160,940 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Madera County
Household size in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.57 | 3.29 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.52 | 3.31 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.47 | 3.27 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.57 | 3.25 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.04 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Madera County is a place of big households: 3.57 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Only one other California county has larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.7 | 32.4 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.8 | 33.1 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.7 | 33.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.6 | 34.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.2 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Madera County is young: half of its residents are under 35.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 33.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 17.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 18.5% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 17.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 17.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than one in six households in Madera County (18.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only one other California county has a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Madera County
Renters in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0% | 44.0% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.3% | 45.9% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.9% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 43.0% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Madera County rent their homes (32.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider Fresno area (43.0%). Among homeowners, 37.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 9.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 6.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Madera County as nationally: 9.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Fresno area (6.8%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1980 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1981 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1984 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Madera County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the west. Only two of California's 58 counties have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $929 | $968 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,036 | $1,042 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,105 | $1,170 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,602 | $1,635 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$672 | +$667 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Madera County runs $1,602 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $672 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Madera County
Bachelor's degrees in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 18.7% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 18.6% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 19.6% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 23.1% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Madera County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.7% | 71.6% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.6% | 72.0% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 69.8% | 74.4% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 72.2% | 77.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +5.9 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than a quarter of adults in Madera County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 72.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 6.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few California counties have a lower share of high school graduates: only two of 58.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Madera County
| Period | Madera County | Fresno area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.7% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 14.0% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 9.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Madera County: 10.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of California's 58 counties, only five have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Madera County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madera County | 3.57 | 35.6 | 18.3% | 32.5% | 9.7% | 1989 | $1,602 | 18.3% | 72.2% | 10.2% |
| Inyo County | 2.35 | 45.1 | 10.2% | 33.6% | 14.3% | 1975 | $1,428 | 30.0% | 93.3% | 2.7% |
| Santa Cruz County | 2.74 | 40.7 | 9.8% | 40.1% | 8.6% | 1973 | $2,361 | 42.8% | 87.4% | 6.2% |
| Washington County | 2.88 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 28.4% | 13.7% | 2002 | $1,750 | 35.5% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
| Kane County | 2.31 | 43.4 | 4.9% | 19.6% | 24.2% | 1993 | $1,083 | 28.7% | 93.4% | 2.6% |
| Conejos County | 2.41 | 40.3 | 7.5% | 23.5% | 17.1% | 1981 | $781 | 26.6% | 91.1% | 4.0% |
| Las Animas County | 2.11 | 47.2 | 9.6% | 31.4% | 18.7% | 1969 | $991 | 20.4% | 90.6% | 5.3% |
| Morton County | 2.61 | 47.9 | 10.9% | 14.6% | 25.0% | 1967 | $628 | 16.3% | 80.9% | 0.9% |
| Stevens County | 2.79 | 39.2 | 15.7% | 25.5% | 16.6% | 1974 | $946 | 22.4% | 76.2% | 3.7% |
| Seward County | 2.96 | 34.0 | 19.2% | 38.2% | 13.4% | 1975 | $928 | 11.3% | 68.5% | 5.2% |
| Cowley County | 2.44 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 31.9% | 14.3% | 1964 | $905 | 24.1% | 90.6% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Jackson County, MI · Rensselaer County, NY · Rankin County, MS · Santa Fe County, NM · St. Clair County, MI · Stafford County, VA · Sullivan County, TN · Alexandria City, VA · Merrimack County, NH · Martin County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Madera County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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