Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Firebaugh earns a D, 582nd of 841 graded towns in California, mostly because of health and incomes. On CDC estimates, its residents' health ranks in the bottom 2% nationally. The median household income is $48K, and 37% of residents live below the poverty line. What it does well: it reports less crime per resident than 61% of U.S. towns. 37% of residents live below the poverty line in Firebaugh, above both the California town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 58 of California’s 1,058 towns score higher on cost of living. Firebaugh's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 99% of U.S. towns.
Where Firebaugh beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Firebaugh | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.2% | 10.6% |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Firebaugh is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 506 in 1930, 8,096 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 5 maps from 1923 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Firebaugh, and how to reach them.
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 Firebaugh.
Firebaugh fares better on crime within California than nationally and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
The nearest emergency room, Madera Community Hospital, is 23.5 miles away in a straight line.
46% of Firebaugh adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 847 California towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Firebaugh. 22% of Firebaugh adults report frequent mental distress.
| Firebaugh | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 22% | 19% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 29% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Firebaugh | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4% | 6.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 34.2% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified school district. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Firebaugh High, with 673 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazel M. Bailey PrimaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–2 | Grades K–2 | 519 | – |
| Firebaugh HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 673 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Home values rose 29% in five years, to about $338K, against 13% across California. The median property tax bill is $1,548, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Firebaugh is $982 a month. The typical Firebaugh home is worth about $338,000, up 2.8% in a year, 56% below the California typical home. 47% of households own their home in Firebaugh.
| Firebaugh | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 47% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $982 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
About one in 4 of Firebaugh’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Firebaugh grew to 1,443 in 2023, 302 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Fresno (15%), Mendota (4%) and Madera (3%).
| Firebaugh | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Madera weather station, 24 miles away, records that about 100 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 95°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.6°.
Firebaugh has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Firebaugh’s July high is 95°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Firebaugh | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 40°F | 41°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
At 14.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 89% of California’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 6 reported in 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
1.4 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
| Firebaugh | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Maldonado Park | — | 12 |
| 2. Street Park | — | 12 |
| 3. Library Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Firebaugh; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Firebaugh residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
4 notable people were born in Firebaugh.
City in Fresno County, California, United States
Firebaugh (FIRE-bah) is a city in Fresno County, California, United States, on the west side of the San Joaquin River 38 miles (61 km) west of Fresno. State Route 33 (SR 33) and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, West Side Subdivision, pass through downtown. A small commercial district features the ubiquitous California Central Valley water tank painted with the city's name. Firebaugh lies at an elevation of 151 feet (46 m). The population was 8,096 at the 2020 census, up from 7,549 at the 2010 census. Firebaugh hosts an annual Cantaloupe Round-Up Festival in Dunkle Park. The event aims at celebrating the peak harvest of the melon in late July and is an economic boost for local businesses.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Firebaugh grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #582 of 841 in California. It grades D− for health, B for safety and B− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
4 notable people were born here, including Josh Allen and Richard Yniguez.
