Atwater, CA


7 Reviews



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Atwater, CA

About Atwater, CA

Atwater is an incorporated city found within Merced County in central California near Yosemite National Park —offering scenic landscapes perfect for outdoor exploration along with year-round festivals like Art & Wine Festivals during summertime enticing crowds from all over! Small city - Central California, mid-Central Valley, 80 miles south of Sacramento.

State: California
County: Merced County
Metro Area: Merced Metro Area
City: Atwater
Zip Codes: 95301
Cost of Living:
Time zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Elevation: 22 ft above sea level

Merced has played a role, for the past 125 years, as a sleepy agricultural and transportation center and a travel gateway to Yosemite National Park. But in 2005, the long-awaited University of California Merced campus was finally opened, which should over time greatly influence its role and character and bring positive growth. Aside from the University and its 2100-acre campus northeast of town, Merced is a typical Central Valley town, with a pleasant if somewhat mundane character. Retail and residential growth are well-planned and attractive.

The COL Index and median home prices are extreme, especially given local incomes. Those willing to pay these prices are clearly betting on the future, and if Merced grows up to be another Davis, home of the University of California campus of that name and an excellent college town example, things should work out well.

The immediate area is level and mainly agricultural. Just to the east, the Sierra Nevada foothills rise into an oak-studded grassland with mountains approaching 13,500 feet. Coastal mountains rise to the west to 4,000 feet, providing a dramatic landscape on all but the most dusty or hazy valley days. Climate is typical for the Central Valley- hot, dry summers and mild winters with frequent valley fog and about 90% of the year’s annual rain.

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Atwater Cost of Living

Nearby national parks, emerging college town, and future job growth make Atwater a great place to live.

$380,800
+11.2% higher than avg
$59,436
-16.1% lower than avg
8.0 / 7.2
Comfort Index
summer/winter
Atwater Crime
52.6 / 100
Crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (low) to 100 (high). US average: 35.4
Minimum annual income
To live comfortably in Atwater, California
$73,080
for a family
$39,200
for a single person
Pros & Cons of Atwater
   Nearby national parks
Low educational attainment
   Emerging college town
Cost of living
   Future job growth
Current unemployment
Reviews for Atwater
    See all (7)

Over 11 years ago
I've lived in Atwater Village for the past 11 years. It's rated one of the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles and I am in complete agreement with that. I've seen it  More
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It went from hellhole to paradise in less than five years. Now, there are more places to shop and eat. What was a boring, open field is now a huge shopping center off of  More
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This is a Little town of about 28,000 people. All ages, mainly Spanish Speaking. There are not very many varities of Resturants, or of Good Quality. The Housing is  More
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