Housing data for Chowchilla, CA
Chowchilla, CA has an estimated 19,020 residents and 4,390 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Madera County.
42.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,178 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+3.3%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 19,020 (±25)
- Housing units
- 4,390 (±398)
- Households that rent
- 42.7%
- Median gross rent
- $1,178
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +3.3%
What stands out in Chowchilla
Households without a vehicle: 9.9% (±4.5 points) in Chowchilla, higher than in Madera County (5.0%).
Households that rent: 42.7% (±6.3 points) in Chowchilla, higher than in Madera County (32.5%).
Median gross rent: $1,178 (±$70) in Chowchilla, lower than in Madera County ($1,390).
Median household income: $66,514 (±$6,947) in Chowchilla, lower than in Madera County ($76,627).
- Commute and cars in Chowchilla
- Renters and owners in Chowchilla
- Median rent in Chowchilla
- Income and affordability in Chowchilla
Housing in Chowchilla at a glance
- Median rent: $1,178 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,136 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 51.2% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 42.7% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $66,514 median household income
- Home values: $364,000 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,960 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,064 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 7.5% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 67.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 38.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 3.2% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 61.6% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 25.8 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 374 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +3.3% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 22.6% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 10.4% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Chowchilla against Madera County, its state and the nation
| Chowchilla | Madera County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 19,020 (±25) | 160,940 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 4,390 (±398) | 51,015 (±65) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 42.7% (±6.3 points) | 32.5% (±1.6 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,178 (±$70) | $1,390 (±$42) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $66,514 (±$6,947) | $76,627 (±$3,129) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $364,000 (±$21,026) | $393,200 (±$7,593) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,064 (±$493) | $2,756 (±$102) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 38.9% (±7.1 points) | 37.1% (±2.1 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 25.8 minutes (±3.6) | 27.9 minutes (±1.1) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 88.1% (±4.9 points) | 91.0% (±1.2 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 34.2 years (±1.8) | 34.6 years (±0.2) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Chowchilla covers 11.5 square miles of land, about 1,648 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Chowchilla has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 18,413 (±31) | 19,020 (±25) | +3.3% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 3,757 (±259) | 4,390 (±398) | +16.8% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $895 (±$144) | $1,178 (±$70) | +31.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $216,400 (±$11,960) | $364,000 (±$21,026) | +68.2% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $53,563 (±$6,464) | $66,514 (±$6,947) | +24.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,474 (±$82) | $1,960 (±$137) | +33.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,616 (±$319) | $3,064 (±$493) | +89.6% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 48.0% (±6.3 points) | 42.7% (±6.3 points) | −5.3 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.1% (±4.8 points) | 3.2% (±4.0 points) | −1.9 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Chowchilla
In 2025, the Chowchilla Police Department reported 374 violent and 691 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Madera County, the departments that report recorded 443 violent and 965 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
Places near Chowchilla
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmead | 3.8 mi | $1,418 | — | 47.8% |
| Le Grand | 7.8 mi | $866 | $286,000 | 38.3% |
| Madera Acres | 11 mi | $1,685 | $346,800 | 15.7% |
| Planada | 13 mi | $1,036 | $266,400 | 50.4% |
| Madera | 13 mi | $1,353 | $359,900 | 45.3% |
| Parkwood | 17 mi | $1,536 | $237,500 | 39.5% |
| Parksdale | 17 mi | $1,656 | $274,700 | 42.7% |
| Merced | 18 mi | $1,393 | $372,600 | 54.1% |
Places in California most like Chowchilla
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehachapi | $1,295 | $355,500 | $72,957 | 41.5% |
| Madera | $1,353 | $359,900 | $63,933 | 45.3% |
| Winton | $1,156 | $339,400 | $57,015 | 50.1% |
| Atwater | $1,279 | $363,400 | $64,472 | 47.9% |
| Delano | $1,199 | $301,900 | $67,010 | 37.2% |
| Fortuna | $1,168 | $379,700 | $62,289 | 43.9% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Chowchilla, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,264 | $1,272 | $1,460 | $2,022 | $2,440 |
HUD income limits for Chowchilla, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,450 | $34,000 | $54,400 |
| 2 people | $23,350 | $38,850 | $62,200 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $43,700 | $69,950 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $52,450 | $83,950 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $56,350 | $90,150 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $60,250 | $96,350 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $64,100 | $102,600 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $82,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Chowchilla
What is the average rent in Chowchilla, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Chowchilla is $1,178 (±$70) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Chowchilla?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Chowchilla, CA is $458 (±$126) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Chowchilla rent-burdened?
51.2% of renting households in Chowchilla pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Chowchilla?
Chowchilla has an estimated 1,778 (±311) renting households, 42.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Chowchilla?
The median household income in Chowchilla is $66,514 (±$6,947) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Chowchilla, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $364,000 (±$21,026) for owner-occupied homes in Chowchilla (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Chowchilla growing?
In Chowchilla, the number of residents went from 18,413 in 2015–2019 to 19,020 in 2020–2024 (+3.3%), a measurable increase.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Chowchilla city, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Chowchilla Police Department (ORI CA0200100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Chowchilla city, California (place:13294, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .