City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Fullerton, CA

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

141,278
Residents
$104,219
Median income
$859,600
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Fullerton - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Fullerton places in the 80th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
23rd
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: Fullerton, CA

141,278 people live in Fullerton, California - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Fullerton households earn a median of $104,219 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Home values in Fullerton run a median of $859,600, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. About 43.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 87 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 79% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2479.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures 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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $3,236 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Fullerton report an average commute of 26.2 minutes, with 70.6% driving alone and 12.6% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

141,278 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$104,219 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Fullerton compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Fullerton ranks #307 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Fullerton toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Fullerton ranks #138 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fullerton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#464 of 1,338
65th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#322 of 1,343
76th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#612 of 1,450
57th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#361 of 1,458
75th 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.

80thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fullerton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fullerton'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
Fullerton'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 Fullerton's home value compares nationally

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

$859,600 4th percentile more affordable than 4% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Fullerton $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 - Fullerton, CA Fullerton, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fullerton, 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 Fullerton, CA median $104,219/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%
Fullerton, 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 Fullerton, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 43.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.2%

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

Population
141,278
Median Income
$104,219
Median Home Value
$859,600
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
61.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
43.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2479.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
455.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2024.0
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
26
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
138,000 residents140,000 residents142,000 residents144,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 143,464 residents 138,675 residents ▼ -3.3%
Fullerton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
87
housing units authorized
Single-Family
85
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 423
2020 42
2021 40
2022 3
2023 23
2024 87

Permit volume decreased 79% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.2 minutes
Drive Alone
70.6%
Carpool
10.3%
Public Transit
2.2%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
12.6%
Other
2.0%

Based on 66,759 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 Fullerton 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

Visalia
142,649 people
Torrance
143,499 people
Orange
138,723 people
Pasadena
136,462 people
Victorville
135,983 people
Pomona
148,391 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fullerton's 141,278 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Waco, TX
141,925 people
Thornton, CO
142,878 people
Carolina zona urbana, PR
139,051 people
Metairie, LA
138,995 people
Gainesville, FL
143,611 people
Olathe, KS
143,720 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fullerton's $104,219 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hickman, NE
$104,219 median income
Spaulding, IL
$104,205 median income
McClellanville, SC
$104,236 median income
Sweetwater, NJ
$104,191 median income
Fairplay, GA
$104,182 median income
Annapolis, MD
$104,257 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fullerton, 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 Fullerton, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.0% 24.5% 14.6% 14.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 39.6% White 43.0% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 24.5% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 14.6% Two or more races 14.9% 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 Fullerton 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
Fullerton (this city) 141,278 $104,219
Visalia 142,649 $79,952
Torrance 143,499 $113,105
Orange 138,723 $116,945
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fullerton, CA?

What is the population of Fullerton, CA? +

The population of Fullerton, CA stands at 141,278 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Fullerton households earn a median of $104,219 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fullerton? +

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

Fullerton has a total crime rate of 2479.3 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 Fullerton, CA? +

Homes in Fullerton carry a median value of $859,600, 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.