City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Fountain Valley, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fountain Valley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

56,358
Residents
$111,797
Median income
$1,018,600
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Fountain Valley - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Fountain Valley places in the 84th percentile for household income and the 33rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

84th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
33rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fountain Valley, CA

56,358 people live in Fountain Valley, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Fountain Valley households earn a median of $111,797 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Home values in Fountain Valley run a median of $1,018,600, and the median resident age is 43.7 years. 44.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 31 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 76% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1962.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,236 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

56,358 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$111,797 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Fountain Valley compare to other US cities?

Where Fountain Valley sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 84% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 33% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Fountain Valley ranks #233 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Fountain Valley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Fountain Valley toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Fountain Valley ranks #233 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fountain Valley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#387 of 1,338
71st percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#233 of 1,343
83rd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#963 of 1,450
33rd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#341 of 1,458
77th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

84thIncome percentile
33rdSafety percentile

84th percentile nationally for median household income · 33rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fountain Valley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fountain Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Fountain Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fountain Valley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,018,600 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Fountain Valley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fountain Valley, CA Fountain Valley, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fountain Valley, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fountain Valley, CA median $111,797/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fountain Valley, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fountain Valley, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
56,358
Median Income
$111,797
Median Home Value
$1,018,600
Median Age
43.7
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1962.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
178.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1784.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
55,000 residents55,500 residents56,000 residents56,500 residents57,000 residents57,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 56,977 residents 55,508 residents ▼ -2.6%
Fountain Valley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
31
housing units authorized
Single-Family
31
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 130
2020 39
2021 80
2022 63
2023 29
2024 31

Permit volume decreased 76% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
14.6%
Other
1.3%

Based on 26,022 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fountain Valley sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Highland
56,690 people
National City
55,960 people
Arcadia
55,550 people
South Whittier
55,201 people
Hacienda Heights
54,956 people
Beaumont
54,817 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fountain Valley's 56,358 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bentonville, AR
56,326 people
Bradenton, FL
56,289 people
Smyrna, GA
56,285 people
Fountainebleau, FL
56,453 people
Kannapolis, NC
56,470 people
Sarasota, FL
56,218 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fountain Valley's $111,797 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

North Aurora, IL
$111,781 median income
Grasonville, MD
$111,842 median income
Atlantis, FL
$111,750 median income
Plymouth, MI
$111,742 median income
East Pepperell, MA
$111,736 median income
New Windsor, MD
$111,731 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fountain Valley, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fountain Valley, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.1% 36.5% 12.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.4% White 43.1% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 36.5% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.8% Some other race 5.4% Two or more races 12.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fountain Valley compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fountain Valley (this city) 56,358 $111,797
Highland 56,690 $77,979
National City 55,960 $64,248
Arcadia 55,550 $116,142
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fountain Valley, CA?

What is the population of Fountain Valley, CA? +

Fountain Valley, CA has a population of 56,358 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fountain Valley, CA? +

Median annual household income in Fountain Valley runs $111,797, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fountain Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fountain Valley; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Fountain Valley, CA safe? +

Fountain Valley has a total crime rate of 1962.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fountain Valley, CA? +

Fountain Valley's median home value sits at $1,018,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.