What it's like to live in Fullerton
Fullerton is a mid-size city in California with household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fullerton deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High student-teacher ratio
How Fullerton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fullerton
Based on Fullerton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,388
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $87,760 a year
- 59% of Fullerton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$180,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $90,260
- Homes cost 8.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 55% above US
$2,194/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,194 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $902,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $902,600 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
358 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1729/100k · Fullerton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 17% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 47°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 21% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
26 public schools inside the boundary
There are 26 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 25:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (40 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fullerton's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,194/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Fullerton
All California guides →Moving to Placentia →
4 mi away · pop. 52,826
Rent $2,388/mo · Income $115,929
Compare with Fullerton →Moving to East Whittier →
4 mi away · pop. 9,990
Rent $1,794/mo · Income $113,750
Compare with Fullerton →Not sure Fullerton is the one?
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