Riverdale grades D overall, 557th of 841 graded towns in California, mostly because of health. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 86% of the country. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 86% of U.S. towns. Riverdale’s July high is 98°F, above both California’s towns (89°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).

StrongestAWalkabilityWeakestDHealth C⁻Cost of living CHazard risk

What makes Riverdale stand out

Where Riverdale beats most towns.

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 86% of U.S. towns

9.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

A growing town

Riverdale has grown 10% from 2010 to 2020

3,153 counted in 2010 and 3,477 in 2020.

3,1532010

3,4772020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

How Riverdale grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Riverdale is from typical.

How grading works

HealthAdventist Health Hanford 16.6 miles awayDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 1.8% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingC⁻Open →Hazard riskdrought tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income605 jobs based hereCOpen →SchoolsBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors1 mile of trailC⁻Open →HistoryDOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 25.5; 5% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Riverdale, California, 2015

Riverdale’s story

151 years in pictures

Census counts: 1,012 in 1960, 3,477 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1924 on.

1875Riverdale is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Riverdale: who provides what

Riverdale is unincorporated, so Fresno County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterRiverdale Public Utility DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesFresno CountyFresno County provides services here

SchoolsRiverdale Joint Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereFresno County Clerk, Registrar of VotersFresno County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021

ZIP code9365693656 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Riverdale.

Riverdale has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has household incomes well below the California norm.

HousingCost of living grade C⁻

Homes in Riverdale are worth about $346K, by Zillow’s estimate

The typical Riverdale home is worth about $346,000, up 4.4% in a year, 55% below the California typical home. Riverdale’s median rent is $1,126 a month.

$346KZillow home value

	Riverdale	California towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$1,126 a month	$1,898 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	57%	64%	73%

Typical home value

Riverdale$346K

California$762K

+4.4%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageRiverdale’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 4.4% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 6.1 years of income Rents$1,126 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsB

Riverdale’s schools rank ahead of 56% of California districts

Its public schools are run by the Riverdale Joint Unified school district. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Riverdale High, with 496 students.

56%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Riverdale ElementaryLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–8	Grades 4–8	507	C⁺
Riverdale HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	496	B

Full pageRiverdale’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsRiverdale Joint Unified Every school5 schools · Riverdale Elementary Questions“Are Riverdale’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

HealthD

Riverdale’s grade for health is a D

33% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Riverdale. Riverdale beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 67% of adults had a checkup this year in Riverdale.

14%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade

	Riverdale	California towns	U.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	33%	22%	19%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	32%	16%	14%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	67%	72%	79%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)	23%	9%	8.1%

32 measures vs. California

1 better14 too close to call17 worse

What stands out	Riverdale	CA
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5%	6.4%
More uninsured adults	22.9%	10.6%

Adventist Health Hanford

16.6 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

9th

percentile among CA towns

Full pageRiverdale’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby16.6 miles to an ER · Adventist Health Hanford How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than CA on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

Most of Riverdale’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Riverdale for work: only 12% work in town. The median household income in Riverdale is $57,000. The top destinations are Fresno (14%), Hanford (4%) and Visalia (3%).

12%work in town

	Riverdale	California towns	U.S. towns
Median household income	$57,000	$95,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	23 minutes	28 minutes	25 minutes
Working residents who work in town	12%	6.6%	8%
Below the poverty line	13%	10%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Riverdale12%

Fresno14%

Hanford4%

Visalia3%

Lemoore3%

21 mi

median commute distance

605

jobs based in Riverdale

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 86% of U.S. towns

Full pageRiverdale’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here605 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work12% work in Riverdale Commute times23 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 21 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

Drought leads a high hazard risk in Riverdale

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.

68risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

DroughtEarthquakesInland flooding

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageRiverdale’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Riverdale Get ready78 events a year, on average · Ready for drought

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Riverdale, expect mild winters and hot summers

The Hanford 1 S weather station, 15 miles away, records that about 108 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 98.2°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.1°.

Riverdale has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.

98°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter39–58°

Spring49–76°

Summer63–96°

Fall51–80°

Nov 22

typical first frost

Feb 24

typical last frost

+1.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

98°

typical summer high

Full pageRiverdale’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 98°, January lows 38°Rain & snow8″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsC⁻

0% of Riverdale is conserved land

0.9 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.

0%conserved

conserved · 0 of 2,505 acres

0.9 mi

of trails · 0.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Riverdale Rodeo	—	11

Full pageRiverdale’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map0.9 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk11 acres · Riverdale Rodeo Conserved land0% conserved · 0 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Riverdale?”

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Riverdale

17pages on Riverdale

The big questions

SchoolsBBeat 56% of CA districts · 5 schools HealthDBetter than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁻$346K typical home · up 4.4% in a year Work & commuteC$57K median household income · 605 jobs here Natural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 68% of U.S. communities · drought

Out and about

OutdoorsC⁻1 mi of trails · 0% conserved land PlacesAttractions12 nearby · Chukchansi Park 21 mi LibraryRiverdale Branch Library CollegesLemoore College is 9.8 mi away

The story

HistoryDSettled 1875 Climate98° summer highs

Day to day

News1 recent stories about Riverdale WeatherHandbookZIP code 93656 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Riverdale

Lemoore CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lemoore9.8 mi$1,384 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Riverdale residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

88% of working residents leave Riverdale for work

Where Riverdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

605jobs based in Riverdale

12%of working residents work in town

21 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Riverdale

Census-designated place in California, United States

Riverdale (formerly, Liberty Settlement) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fresno County, California, United States. Its population was 3,477 at the 2020 census, up from 3,153 at the 2010 census. Riverdale is located 23 miles (37 km) south of Fresno, at an elevation of 223 ft (68 m) above mean sea level.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 3.9 sq mi
Elevation: 223 ft
ZIP code: 93656
Area code: 559

Questions about Riverdale

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Riverdale, CA a good place to live?

Riverdale grades D overall, better than 14% of U.S. towns and #557 of 841 in California. It grades D for health and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Riverdale, CA expensive?

Yes. That is 4.6 years of the area's median household income ($74,468 across the Fresno, 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−.

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