City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Valley Center, CA

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

10,303
Residents
$116,620
Median income
$809,300
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

Valley Center - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Valley Center places in the 86th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

86th
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Valley Center, CA

Valley Center is a small town in California, home to 10,303 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $116,620 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.1%. Typical homes in Valley Center are valued around $809,300, and the median resident age is 40.8 years. Educational attainment runs 35.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 9 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,001 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,303 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$116,620 /yr

Poverty 9.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Valley Center compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 86% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Valley Center 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 Valley Center toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Valley Center ranks #287 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Valley Center only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#357 of 1,338
73rd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#287 of 1,458
76th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#363 of 1,343
73rd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#553 of 1,450
61st percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#510 of 1,458
65th 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.

86thIncome percentile

86th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Valley Center's home value compares nationally

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

$809,300 5th percentile more affordable than 5% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Valley Center $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 - Valley Center, CA Valley Center, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, CA median $116,620/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%
Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.5%

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

Population
10,303
Median Income
$116,620
Median Home Value
$809,300
Median Age
40.8
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Labor force participation
55.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.6%

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.0%
Carpool
5.8%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
15.3%
Other
0.8%

Based on 4,397 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 Valley Center sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Exeter
10,280 people
Shasta Lake
10,334 people
Farmersville
10,336 people
East Bakersfield
10,377 people
Hillcrest
10,203 people
Blackhawk
10,404 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Center's 10,303 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Comstock Park, MI
10,306 people
Rotonda, FL
10,312 people
Francisville, KY
10,313 people
Paris, TN
10,313 people
Manhattan, IL
10,315 people
Wood River, IL
10,315 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Valley Center's $116,620 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Broussard, LA
$116,613 median income
Breinigsville, PA
$116,631 median income
Cold Spring, NY
$116,635 median income
Pickerington, OH
$116,645 median income
Lake Madison, SD
$116,648 median income
Mansfield, TX
$116,590 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Valley Center, 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 Valley Center, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.0% 9.3% 23.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 43.1% White 61.0% Black or African American 2.9% Asian 2.4% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 9.3% Two or more races 23.3% 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 Valley Center 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
Valley Center (this city) 10,303 $116,620
Exeter 10,280 $71,198
Shasta Lake 10,334 $61,319
Farmersville 10,336 $57,832
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Valley Center, CA?

What is the population of Valley Center, CA? +

10,303 people live in Valley Center, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Valley Center households earn a median of $116,620 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Valley Center? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Valley Center; 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.

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

A typical home in Valley Center is worth $809,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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.