The Town FilesDos Palos, California
City in Merced County · population 5,798 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,500
- Household income
- $42,367
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 37.0
Dos Palos is a city of 5,798 people in Merced County, California. The median home is worth $299,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 90% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of California towns.
How Dos Palos 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 Dos Palos is worth $299,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $42,367, which is more affordable than 39% of California towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 60.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dos Palos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $42,367 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dos Palos
| People | Dos Palos | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Dos Palos
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 9.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 16 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Dos Palos since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on February 14, 1998 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 14, 1998.
Severe weather in Merced County since 1996
Merced 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 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Merced County
Merced County had 84,952 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,952 a year. Unemployment was 9% in 2023; in Dos Palos itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.
Public schools in Dos Palos
5 public schools with 2,192 students, about 22.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dos Palos High | 9-12 | 628 | 19.0 |
| Dos Palos Elementary | K-2 | 600 | 23.1 |
| Bryant Middle | 6-8 | 485 | 24.3 |
| Bernhard Marks Elementary | 3-5 | 479 | 24.0 |
| Dos Palos Carver Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Dos Palos
- Los Banos, CA12.6 mi · 45,532 people · home $440,900
- Firebaugh, CA13.5 mi · 8,096 people · home $242,400
- Mendota, CA21.1 mi · 12,595 people · home $281,000
- McSwain, CA22.9 mi · 4,480 people · home $690,100
- Chowchilla, CA23.4 mi · 19,039 people · home $364,000
- Merced, CA24.3 mi · 86,333 people · home $372,600
- Franklin, CA24.3 mi · 6,919 people · home $308,200
- Atwater, CA25.5 mi · 31,970 people · home $363,400
Dos Palos questions
Is Dos Palos, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dos Palos scores better for retirees than 31% of California towns and quieter than 39%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Dos Palos?
The median owner-occupied home in Dos Palos is valued at $299,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,367, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Dos Palos?
July highs average 94.6°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Dos Palos get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Dos Palos since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on February 14, 1998. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)