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Living in
Porterville.
About
Life in Porterville
If you're considering Porterville, understand that this is a working Central Valley city with real trade-offs. Housing is relatively affordable compared to coastal California, and you can get a median-priced home in the $286,000 range, but jobs are limited and unemployment sits at 13.9%, which is notably higher than the national average. The economy relies heavily on agriculture and regional commerce rather than diverse industries.
Porterville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.3%
Foreign-Born
26.5%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics26.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Porterville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Porterville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (82.2%), and 51.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.5%
of residents
65 and Older
12.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.0%
of households
Married Couples
50.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.21
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 44% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Porterville
In Porterville, rent runs 44% below the CA average, and home values are 61% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
99.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,946
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
54.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $327,631 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 8.4 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Porterville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Porterville is 8.4 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Porterville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Visalia-Porterville, CA metro area
Commute23.5 min avg
How Porterville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Porterville, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 44 mi
Meadows Field (BFL)
Regional airport · few flights219k passengers boarded in 2025
- 150 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Porterville is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
331.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,319.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Porterville Police Department
Natural DisastersDense Fog most common — 61 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Tulare County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Tulare County, which includes Porterville, the most common type is dense fog, with 61 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | Dense Fog | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 113 | Dense Fog | $1,000 |
| 2023 | 94 | Dense Fog | $7.6M |
| 2022 | 98 | Dense Fog | None reported |
| 2021 | 59 | Dense Fog | $1,000 |
| 2020 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 20 | Flood | $60,000 |
| 2018 | 8 | Flood | None reported |
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.
153 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Tulare County, county-wide
Air Quality64 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Tulare County, which includes Porterville, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
64
Good Days
88
per year
Moderate Days
234
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Tulare County, county-wide
Climate96°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Porterville has hot summers (avg high 96°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
96°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
122
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
15
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
49
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 40°F | 2.08" |
| Feb | 65°F | 43°F | 1.92" |
| Mar | 71°F | 47°F | 2.04" |
| Apr | 76°F | 50°F | 0.95" |
| May | 84°F | 56°F | 0.34" |
| Jun | 93°F | 63°F | 0.10" |
| Jul | 98°F | 68°F | 0.05" |
| Aug | 97°F | 67°F | 0.00" |
| Sep | 92°F | 62°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 82°F | 53°F | 0.55" |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 0.95" |
| Dec | 59°F | 39°F | 1.93" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Porterville
Porterville has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
6.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Sierra View Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Porterville Developmental Center
Acute Care Hospitals
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.
Education22.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Porterville
Porterville's student/teacher ratio is 22.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 14.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
26
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Porterville
Public · 2-year · 2,834 students · in-state tuition $1,438 · 36% graduate · median earnings $41,156 (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: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Porterville
Porterville has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks
51 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
64 mi awayManzanar National Historic Site
National Historic Site
67 mi awayPublic Libraries in Porterville
Porterville Public Library
50 West Olive Avenue, Suite B, Porterville
Ebranch Law Library
300 East Olive Ave., Porterville
Cities Near Porterville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Porterville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Porterville FAQ
Is Porterville, California affordable?⌄
Porterville's median rent is $1,148/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $60,461/year. Median home value is $285,700.
Is Porterville, California safe?⌄
Porterville's violent crime rate was 332 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1320 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Porterville, California?⌄
Porterville has an unemployment rate of 13.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Porterville, California?⌄
The cost of living in Porterville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,148/month and median household income is $60,461/year. The median home value is $285,700. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Porterville, California?⌄
The average commute in Porterville is 24 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