City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Porterville, CA

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

62,765
Residents
$59,012
Median income
$273,600
Median home
$1,474
Median rent (state)

Porterville - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Porterville places in the 34th percentile for household income and the 35th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

34th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
58th
percentile, median rent
35th
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: Porterville, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 62,765 residents in Porterville, a small city within California. The typical household in Porterville brings in $59,012 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.1%. Porterville's housing stock carries a median value of $273,600, and the median resident age is 31.2 years. Educational attainment runs 14.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 151 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 35% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1866.7 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). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 65.7°F with 11.0 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,474 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Porterville report an average commute of 23.1 minutes, with 78.3% driving alone and 2.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 97.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

62,765 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$59,012 /yr

Poverty 14.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Porterville compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 58% pricier than other cities
Safety 35% 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, Porterville ranks #215 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

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 Porterville'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.

34thIncome percentile
35thSafety percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income · 35th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Porterville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Porterville'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 37 Avg. percentile National median
Porterville'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 Porterville's home value compares nationally

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

$273,600 40th percentile more affordable than 40% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Porterville $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 - Porterville, CA Porterville, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Porterville, 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 Porterville, CA median $59,012/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%
Porterville, 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 Porterville, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.8%

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

Population
62,765
Median Income
$59,012
Median Home Value
$273,600
Median Age
31.2
Poverty Rate
14.1%
Labor force participation
55.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1866.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
384.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1481.9
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.7°F
Annual Precipitation
11.0"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
32
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
62,800 residents63,000 residents63,200 residents63,400 residents63,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 63,003 residents 63,088 residents ▲ +0.1%
Porterville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
151
housing units authorized
Single-Family
145
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 112
2020 172
2021 227
2022 200
2023 81
2024 151

Permit volume increased 35% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
78.3%
Carpool
17.1%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
2.5%

Based on 24,701 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 Porterville sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,474/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

La Habra
62,233 people
San Clemente
63,510 people
Florence-Graham
61,723 people
Encinitas
61,585 people
Laguna Niguel
64,023 people
Montebello
61,376 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Porterville's 62,765 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brookline, MA
62,822 people
Bossier City, LA
62,832 people
Council Bluffs, IA
62,564 people
Maricopa, AZ
62,986 people
Lakewood, WA
63,034 people
Moore, OK
63,045 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Porterville's $59,012 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Grangeville, ID
$59,013 median income
Seneca, WI
$59,013 median income
Cohoe, AK
$59,000 median income
Floral, FL
$59,000 median income
Denison, KS
$59,000 median income
Lyle, MN
$59,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Porterville, 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 Porterville, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.2% 34.1% 23.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 73.6% White 36.2% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 2.7% American Indian 2.2% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 34.1% Two or more races 23.6% 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 Porterville 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
Porterville (this city) 62,765 $59,012
La Habra 62,233 $98,158
San Clemente 63,510 $134,735
Florence-Graham 61,723 $61,216
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Porterville, CA?

What is the population of Porterville, CA? +

Porterville, CA counts 62,765 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Porterville, the typical household earns $59,012 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Porterville? +

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

Porterville has a total crime rate of 1866.7 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 Porterville, CA? +

Homes in Porterville carry a median value of $273,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Porterville? +

The average annual temperature in Porterville runs 65.7°F, 11.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.