139 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,274 in 1950, 4,274 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 3 maps from 1926 on.
- 1887Armona is settled
Each edition grades its towns against each other only.

A town of 3,890, settled in 1887.
Armona earns a D, 623rd of 841 graded towns in California, mostly because of health. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 79% of the country. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 84% of U.S. towns. Armona’s July high is 98°F, above both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
Where Armona beats most towns.
Where Armona’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Armona is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,274 in 1950, 4,274 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 3 maps from 1926 on.
Armona is unincorporated, so Kings County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Armona.
Armona has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, has home values climbing faster than California’s and has commutes shorter than most of California.
Home values rose 30% in five years, to about $311K, against 13% across California. The median property tax bill is $2,206, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Armona home is worth about $311,000, up 3.2% in a year, 59% below the California typical home. 56% of households own their home in Armona.
| Armona | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 56% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,278 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Armona Union Elementary school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armona ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 571 | C− |
| Armona Union Academy PrivateLargest high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 105 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
31% of Armona adults worry about having enough food. Armona beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 21% of Armona adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Armona | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 68% | 72% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 22% | 19% |
| What stands out | Armona | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.9% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 20.5% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The average commute for its 1,249 working residents takes 21.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California. Jobs based here grew from 470 in 2013 to 617.
Most working residents leave Armona for work: only 5% work in town. The average trip to work in Armona is 22 minutes. Since 2013, Armona has added 147 jobs, to 617 in 2023.
| Armona | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.6% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 10% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Hanford 1 S weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 296 days, longer than in 95% of U.S. towns. The Hanford 1 S weather station records that about 108 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Armona has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Armona’s January low is 38°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Recreation Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Armona
About 3 of every 100 Armona residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Census-designated place in California, United States
Armona is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 239 feet (73 m). It is part of the Hanford-Corcoran metropolitan area. The population was 4,274 at the 2020 census. Armona's motto is "Small and Proud".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Armona grades D overall, better than 9% of U.S. towns and #623 of 841 in California. It grades C− for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($70,995 across the Hanford-Corcoran, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.