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Living in
Fullerton.
About
Life in Fullerton
Life in Fullerton is fundamentally about balancing affordability pressures with genuine community anchors and solid economic stability. With a median household income around $104,000 and a median home value of $902,600, you're looking at Orange County pricing that reflects the region's overall market, though it's considerably cheaper than coastal parts of the county—just know that renting at $2,194 a month or buying here means you're making a real financial commitment. The job market is tight with unemployment at 4.4%, largely supported by major employers like California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), Fullerton College, and the regional headquarters of Vons/Albertsons, but finding work depends heavily on your field; education, healthcare, and retail dominate, so tech professionals might need to plan for longer commutes.
Fullerton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.3%
Foreign-Born
29.3%
Broadband Internet
94.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fullerton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fullerton, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (31.7%), and 26.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.1%
of households
Married Couples
51.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.86
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fullerton
In Fullerton, rent runs 8% above the CA average, and home values are 23% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
113.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,697
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
51.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,037,545 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.1 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Fullerton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Fullerton is 1.1 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fullerton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area
Commute30.5 min avg
How Fullerton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fullerton, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 54% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Long Beach International Airport (LGB)
Small hub1.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 14 mi
John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 28 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 9% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fullerton runs 9% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
358.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,728.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fullerton Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Orange County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Orange County, which includes Fullerton, the most common type is high wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Heavy Rain | $40,000 |
| 2024 | 25 | High Wind | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 37 | High Wind | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 42 | High Wind | $60.0M |
| 2021 | 40 | High Wind | $952,000 |
| 2020 | 30 | High Wind | $105,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | High Surf | $125,500 |
| 2018 | 23 | High Surf | $20,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
163 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Orange County, county-wide
Fullerton is about 4% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Orange County, which includes Fullerton, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
138
per year
Moderate Days
214
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Orange County, county-wide
Fullerton is about 4% of Orange County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fullerton has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
39
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
38
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°F | 46°F | 2.85" |
| Feb | 69°F | 48°F | 3.02" |
| Mar | 71°F | 52°F | 1.74" |
| Apr | 74°F | 54°F | 0.59" |
| May | 76°F | 58°F | 0.30" |
| Jun | 79°F | 63°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 84°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Aug | 87°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 85°F | 65°F | 0.14" |
| Oct | 80°F | 58°F | 0.50" |
| Nov | 74°F | 51°F | 0.74" |
| Dec | 68°F | 46°F | 1.86" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fullerton
Fullerton has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Providence St. Jude Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Ahmc Anaheim Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.6 mi away · Anaheim
Anaheim Global Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.5 mi away · Anaheim
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Orange County - Anaheim
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Anaheim
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education24.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fullerton
Fullerton's student/teacher ratio is 24.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 43.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
26
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
43.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
24.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Fullerton
California State University-Fullerton
Public · 4-year · 38,546 students · in-state tuition $7,952 · 80% graduate · median earnings $69,015 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 17,121 students · in-state tuition $1,150 · 28% graduate · median earnings $49,216 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 564 students · in-state tuition $38,650 · 46% graduate · median earnings $51,254 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
California State University-Long Beach
12.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 35,924 students · in-state tuition $8,338 · 81% graduate · median earnings $69,554 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 26,140 students · in-state tuition $1,364 · 35% graduate · median earnings $49,600 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 10,579 students · in-state tuition $1,160 · 26% graduate · median earnings $52,421 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 9,034 students · in-state tuition $1,202 · 29% graduate · median earnings $50,592 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,478 students · in-state tuition $67,894 · 82% graduate · median earnings $80,694 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,393 students · in-state tuition $1,186 · 18% graduate · median earnings $51,338 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fullerton
Fullerton has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
40 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
50 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
93 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fullerton
Fullerton Main Library
353 W. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton
Cities Near Fullerton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fullerton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fullerton FAQ
Is Fullerton, California affordable?⌄
Fullerton's median rent is $2,194/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $104,286/year. Median home value is $902,600.
Is Fullerton, California safe?⌄
Fullerton's violent crime rate was 358 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1729 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fullerton, California?⌄
Fullerton has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fullerton, California?⌄
The cost of living in Fullerton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,194/month and median household income is $104,286/year. The median home value is $902,600. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fullerton, California?⌄
The average commute in Fullerton is 31 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from