City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Fowler, CA

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

6,930
Residents
$61,071
Median income
$352,100
Median home
$1,664
Median rent (state)

Fowler - the verdict

Nationally, Fowler sits in the 37th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

37th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
38th
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: Fowler, CA

California's Fowler is a small town, with 6,930 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Fowler brings in $61,071 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 22.0%. Home values in Fowler run a median of $352,100, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. About 23.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 85 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 67% from five years earlier. Fowler reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1743.1 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,664 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). The average commute for Fowler workers runs 20.3 minutes, with 73.8% driving alone and 4.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

6,930 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$61,071 /yr

Poverty 22.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Fowler compare to other US cities?

Fowler measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 37% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Fowler ranks #188 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fowler's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

37thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

37th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fowler's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fowler'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 35 Avg. percentile National median
Fowler'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 Fowler's home value compares nationally

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

$352,100 28th percentile more affordable than 28% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fowler $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 - Fowler, CA Fowler, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fowler, 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 Fowler, CA median $61,071/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%
Fowler, 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 Fowler, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 22.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.6%

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

Population
6,930
Median Income
$61,071
Median Home Value
$352,100
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
22.0%
Labor force participation
52.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1743.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
509.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1233.6
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
6,500 residents7,000 residents7,500 residents8,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,771 residents 7,745 residents ▲ +14.4%
Fowler's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
85
housing units authorized
Single-Family
85
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
12.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 51
2020 35
2021 89
2022 72
2023 46
2024 85

Permit volume increased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.3 minutes
Drive Alone
73.8%
Carpool
18.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
3.4%

Based on 2,694 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 Fowler sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,664/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Garnet
6,979 people
Castroville
6,870 people
Fort Bragg
7,001 people
Ben Lomond
6,849 people
Atherton
7,021 people
Boyes Hot Springs
7,031 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fowler's 6,930 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Union, OH
6,930 people
Lecanto, FL
6,929 people
Orlovista, FL
6,928 people
Mount Healthy, OH
6,932 people
Sealy, TX
6,933 people
St. Louis, MI
6,926 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fowler's $61,071 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Altamont, KS
$61,071 median income
Pikeville, NC
$61,071 median income
Silverhill, AL
$61,081 median income
Apalachicola, FL
$61,083 median income
Inman, KS
$61,083 median income
Quinter, KS
$61,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fowler, 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 Fowler, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 42.5% 11.8% 19.9% 24.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 71.2% White 42.5% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 11.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 19.9% Two or more races 24.8% 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 Fowler 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
Fowler (this city) 6,930 $61,071
Garnet 6,979 $63,082
Castroville 6,870 $90,486
Fort Bragg 7,001 $53,580
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fowler, CA?

What is the population of Fowler, CA? +

6,930 people live in Fowler, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fowler, CA? +

Fowler households earn a median of $61,071 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fowler? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fowler; 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 Fowler, CA safe? +

Fowler has a total crime rate of 1743.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Fowler, CA? +

Fowler's median home value sits at $352,100, 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 Editorial

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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.