The Town FilesRipon, California
City in San Joaquin County · population 16,013 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $704,800
- Household income
- $133,380
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.1
Ripon is a city of 16,013 people in San Joaquin County, California. The median home is worth $704,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 95% of California towns, better for families than 76% of California towns, better for cycling than 70% of California towns.
How Ripon 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 Ripon is worth $704,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $133,380, which is more affordable than 71% of California towns. Median rent is $1,851 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ripon | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $704,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,851 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $133,380 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Ripon
| People | Ripon | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Ripon
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 39.1°F. About 13.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripon since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 27, 1953 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 1, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on April 10, 2026.
Severe weather in San Joaquin County since 1996
San Joaquin County has been included in 25 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 San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County had 287,828 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,300 a year. Unemployment was 6.2% in 2023; in Ripon itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Ripon
7 public schools with 3,346 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripon High | 9-12 | 1,048 | 20.5 |
| Ripona Elementary | K-8 | 471 | 23.6 |
| Park View Elementary | K-8 | 461 | 24.3 |
| Ripon Elementary | K-8 | 459 | 21.9 |
| Colony Oak Elementary | K-8 | 443 | 23.3 |
| Weston Elementary | K-8 | 439 | 23.1 |
| Harvest High | 9-12 | 25 | 25.0 |
Towns near Ripon
- Salida, CA3.4 mi · 13,886 people · home $461,100
- Manteca, CA6.3 mi · 83,498 people · home $589,900
- Escalon, CA7.9 mi · 7,472 people · home $471,200
- Modesto, CA10.0 mi · 218,464 people · home $442,700
- West Modesto, CA10.1 mi · 5,965 people · home $304,700
- Riverbank, CA10.2 mi · 24,865 people · home $463,200
- Lathrop, CA11.2 mi · 28,701 people · home $643,600
- French Camp, CA11.6 mi · 3,770 people · home $386,600
Ripon questions
Is Ripon, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ripon scores better for retirees than 50% of California towns and quieter than 47%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Ripon?
The median owner-occupied home in Ripon is valued at $704,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $133,380, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,851 a month.
What is the weather like in Ripon?
July highs average 95.4°F and January lows 39.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ripon get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ripon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 27, 1953. 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)