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Living in
Tulare.
About
Life in Tulare
If you're moving to Tulare, you're choosing a working agricultural community, not a recreation destination—though Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are about an hour away if you want weekend getaways. The economy is built on dairy and farming, which keeps housing costs down and the job market tied to agriculture, food processing, and related industries. Median home prices hover around $330,000 with median rents at $1,435, which is genuinely affordable for California, but unemployment sits at 7.4%, so job hunting matters depending on your field.
Tulare at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.9%
Foreign-Born
20.9%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
+7.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics20.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Tulare: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Tulare, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (73.3%), and 43.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
32.0%
of residents
65 and Older
9.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.6%
of households
Married Couples
51.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.38
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 30% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Tulare
In Tulare, rent runs 30% below the CA average, and home values are 55% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
99.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,366
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $356,253 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.9 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Tulare and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Tulare is 1.9 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 Tulare 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
Commute22.8 min avg
How Tulare residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Tulare, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 44 mi
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)
Small hub1.4M 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 45% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Tulare runs 45% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
476.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,476
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Tulare 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 Tulare, 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.
115 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 Tulare, 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
Climate92°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Tulare has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
10.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
95
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
9
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
40
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 38°F | 1.96" |
| Feb | 61°F | 42°F | 1.64" |
| Mar | 67°F | 45°F | 1.82" |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 0.97" |
| May | 81°F | 55°F | 0.36" |
| Jun | 89°F | 62°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 94°F | 67°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 93°F | 65°F | 0.00" |
| Sep | 88°F | 60°F | 0.07" |
| Oct | 78°F | 52°F | 0.55" |
| Nov | 64°F | 43°F | 0.99" |
| Dec | 55°F | 38°F | 1.83" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Tulare
Tulare has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Adventist Health Tulare
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaweah Health Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.1 mi away · Visalia
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.
Education22.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Tulare
Tulare's student/teacher ratio is 22.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 11.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
25
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
11.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, 55 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Tulare
Tulare has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (55 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks
55 mi awayManzanar National Historic Site
National Historic Site
75 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
80 mi awayDevils Postpile National Monument
National Monument
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Tulare
Tulare Public Library
475 North M Street, Tulare
Cities Near Tulare
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Tulare?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Tulare FAQ
Is Tulare, California affordable?⌄
Tulare's median rent is $1,435/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $72,410/year. Median home value is $329,800.
Is Tulare, California safe?⌄
Tulare's violent crime rate was 477 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1476 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Tulare, California?⌄
Tulare has an unemployment rate of 7.4%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Tulare, California?⌄
The cost of living in Tulare is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,435/month and median household income is $72,410/year. The median home value is $329,800. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Tulare, California?⌄
The average commute in Tulare is 23 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