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Living in
Visalia.
About
Life in Visalia
If you're considering Visalia, know you're looking at a real working city in the San Joaquin Valley—not a vacation destination. With a population of about 142,000 and a median household income around $80,000, it's a place where agriculture drives the economy and the Latino community (52.7% of residents) shapes daily life, culture, and the food scene. Housing is relatively affordable compared to coastal California—median home values sit around $371,500 and rent averages $1,490 a month—which is why families and professionals keep moving here, even as the city grows steadily.
Visalia at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Foreign-Born
14.0%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
+3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Visalia: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Visalia, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (65.6%), and 27.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.9%
of residents
65 and Older
13.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.2%
of households
Married Couples
49.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.02
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 27% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Visalia
In Visalia, rent runs 27% below the CA average, and home values are 49% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
99.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,741
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $396,267 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Visalia and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Visalia is 0.7 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 Visalia 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
Commute22.9 min avg
How Visalia residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Visalia, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 39 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 26% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Visalia runs 26% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
414.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,761.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Visalia 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 Visalia, 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.
112 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 Visalia, 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
Visalia 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 Visalia
Visalia has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Kaweah Health Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventist Health Tulare
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Tulare
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.
Education22.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Visalia
Visalia's student/teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 24.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
45
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.0:1
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, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Visalia
Visalia has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks
49 mi awayManzanar National Historic Site
National Historic Site
71 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
87 mi awayDevils Postpile National Monument
National Monument
90 mi awayPublic Libraries in Visalia
Tulare County Public Law Library
221 South Mooney Blvd., Visalia
Visalia Branch Library
200 W. Oak, Visalia
Cities Near Visalia
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Visalia?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Visalia FAQ
Is Visalia, California affordable?⌄
Visalia's median rent is $1,490/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $81,989/year. Median home value is $371,500.
Is Visalia, California safe?⌄
Visalia's violent crime rate was 415 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1762 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Visalia, California?⌄
Visalia has an unemployment rate of 6.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Visalia, California?⌄
The cost of living in Visalia is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,490/month and median household income is $81,989/year. The median home value is $371,500. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Visalia, California?⌄
The average commute in Visalia 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