The Town FilesAvenal, California
City in Kings County · population 13,696 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $228,900
- Household income
- $54,741
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.5
Avenal is a city of 13,696 people in Kings County, California. The median home is worth $228,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of California towns, more of a college town than 72% of California towns.
How Avenal ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Avenal is worth $228,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $54,741, which is more affordable than 89% of California towns. Median rent is $1,015 a month. 45.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Avenal | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,015 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $54,741 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 45.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Avenal
| People | Avenal | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 39.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Avenal
July highs average 98.7°F and January lows 36.0°F. About 7.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 118 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 29 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Avenal since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 28, 1980.
Severe weather in Kings County since 1996
Kings County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kings County
Kings County had 50,796 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,351 a year. Unemployment was 8.2% in 2023; in Avenal itself the ACS puts it at 12.7%.
Public schools in Avenal
7 public schools with 2,444 students, about 22.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avenal High | 9-12 | 750 | 25.0 |
| Avenal Elementary | K-5 | 646 | 22.3 |
| Reef Sunset Middle | 6-8 | 562 | 21.6 |
| Tamarack Elementary | K-5 | 456 | 21.7 |
| Sunrise High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 20 | 20.0 |
| Reef-Sunset Secondary Community Day | 6-12 | 10 | — |
| Reef-Sunset Primary Community Day | 3-6 | — | — |
Towns near Avenal
- Huron, CA12.0 mi · 6,206 people · home $251,700
- Coalinga, CA14.3 mi · 17,590 people · home $262,400
- Lemoore Station, CA19.9 mi · 6,568 people · home —
- Lemoore, CA25.5 mi · 27,038 people · home $328,300
Avenal questions
Is Avenal, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Avenal scores better for retirees than 14% of California towns and quieter than 43%. 5.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.5).
How much does a house cost in Avenal?
The median owner-occupied home in Avenal is valued at $228,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,741, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,015 a month.
What is the weather like in Avenal?
July highs average 98.7°F and January lows 36.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Avenal get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Avenal in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)