The Town FilesRiverdale, California
Community in Fresno County · population 3,477 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,600
- Household income
- $56,975
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 25.5
Riverdale is a community of 3,477 people in Fresno County, California. The median home is worth $283,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 97% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of California towns.
How Riverdale 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 Riverdale is worth $283,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $56,975, which is more affordable than 76% of California towns. Median rent is $1,126 a month. 57.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Riverdale | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,126 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $56,975 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 57.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Riverdale
| People | Riverdale | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 40.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Riverdale
July highs average 98.0°F and January lows 37.0°F. About 7.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 120 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 29 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riverdale since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on November 22, 1996 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 22, 1996.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on November 22, 1996.
Severe weather in Fresno County since 1996
Fresno County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Fresno County
Fresno County had 427,076 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,904 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Riverdale itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Riverdale
6 public schools with 1,557 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverdale High | 9-12 | 525 | 16.4 |
| Riverdale Elementary | 4-8 | 517 | 19.1 |
| Fipps Primary | K-3 | 381 | 19.1 |
| Burrel Elementary | K-8 | 101 | 12.6 |
| Horizon High | 9-12 | 22 | 22.0 |
| Riverdale Virtual | K-12 | 11 | 11.0 |
Towns near Riverdale
- Caruthers, CA7.7 mi · 2,613 people · home $334,300
- Lemoore, CA10.1 mi · 27,038 people · home $328,300
- Lemoore Station, CA11.7 mi · 6,568 people · home —
- Armona, CA12.0 mi · 4,274 people · home $284,100
- Hanford, CA13.8 mi · 57,990 people · home $349,400
- Selma, CA17.1 mi · 24,674 people · home $315,300
- Fowler, CA17.1 mi · 6,700 people · home $379,800
- Kingsburg, CA17.9 mi · 12,380 people · home $373,800
Riverdale questions
Is Riverdale, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Riverdale scores better for retirees than 25% of California towns and quieter than 49%. 8.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.5).
How much does a house cost in Riverdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Riverdale is valued at $283,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,975, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,126 a month.
What is the weather like in Riverdale?
July highs average 98.0°F and January lows 37.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Riverdale get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Riverdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on November 22, 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)