The Town FilesGustine, California
City in Merced County · population 6,110 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $441,700
- Household income
- $59,532
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.1
Gustine is a city of 6,110 people in Merced County, California. The median home is worth $441,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 91% of California towns.
How Gustine 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 Gustine is worth $441,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.4 times the median household income of $59,532, which is more affordable than 35% of California towns. Median rent is $1,395 a month. 56.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gustine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $441,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,395 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $59,532 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gustine
| People | Gustine | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.3% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 34.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Gustine
July highs average 100.0°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 11.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 121 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 23 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gustine since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 1, 1996 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 1, 1996.
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 Gustine itself the ACS puts it at 11.3%.
Public schools in Gustine
5 public schools with 1,457 students, about 19.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gustine High | 9-12 | 553 | 19.1 |
| Gustine Elementary | K-5 | 503 | 19.3 |
| Gustine Middle | 6-8 | 380 | 19.0 |
| Pioneer High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 21 | — |
| Pioneer Headstart | Other | — | — |
Towns near Gustine
- Newman, CA4.6 mi · 12,351 people · home $412,700
- Hilmar-Irwin, CA13.2 mi · 5,164 people · home $449,600
- Los Banos, CA15.6 mi · 45,532 people · home $440,900
- Delhi, CA17.2 mi · 10,656 people · home $349,700
- Livingston, CA17.5 mi · 14,172 people · home $372,700
- Patterson, CA17.7 mi · 23,781 people · home $450,200
- Turlock, CA19.0 mi · 72,740 people · home $460,600
- Keyes, CA21.6 mi · 5,672 people · home $344,100
Gustine questions
Is Gustine, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gustine scores better for retirees than 43% of California towns and quieter than 53%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Gustine?
The median owner-occupied home in Gustine is valued at $441,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,532, so homes cost about 7.4 times income. Median rent is $1,395 a month.
What is the weather like in Gustine?
July highs average 100.0°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Gustine get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gustine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 1, 1996. 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)