The Town FilesFallbrook, California
Community in San Diego County · population 32,267 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $784,100
- Household income
- $96,394
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 35.0
Fallbrook is a community of 32,267 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $784,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 76% of California towns.
How Fallbrook ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fallbrook is worth $784,100, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.1 times the median household income of $96,394, which is more affordable than 25% of California towns. Median rent is $1,786 a month. 58.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fallbrook | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $784,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,786 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $96,394 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Fallbrook
| People | Fallbrook | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Fallbrook
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 47.4°F. About 15.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.9 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fallbrook since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on February 19, 2005 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 19, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 24, 1996.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Fallbrook itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Fallbrook
12 public schools with 5,828 students, about 20.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallbrook High | 9-12 | 1,900 | 19.8 |
| James E. Potter Intermediate | 7-8 | 800 | 20.0 |
| Live Oak Elementary | K-6 | 682 | 22.0 |
| Fallbrook STEM Academy | K-6 | 615 | 22.0 |
| Maie Ellis Elementary | K-6 | 566 | 21.8 |
| William H. Frazier Elementary | K-6 | 543 | 22.6 |
| La Paloma Elementary | K-6 | 524 | 22.8 |
| Ivy High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 90 | 15.0 |
| Oasis High (Alternative) | 9-12 | 71 | 23.7 |
| Fallbrook Virtual Academy | K-8 | 36 | 12.0 |
| Santa Margarita Academy | 4-8 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Mike Choate Early Childhood Education Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Fallbrook
- Bonsall, CA7.1 mi · 4,546 people · home $958,700
- Camp Pendleton Mainside, CA7.9 mi · 9,683 people · home —
- Temecula, CA9.7 mi · 110,003 people · home $679,700
- Oceanside, CA11.5 mi · 174,068 people · home $770,300
- Hidden Meadows, CA11.9 mi · 4,484 people · home $851,100
- Vista, CA12.8 mi · 98,381 people · home $762,400
- Murrieta, CA13.9 mi · 110,949 people · home $639,800
- Camp Pendleton South, CA14.0 mi · 12,468 people · home —
Fallbrook questions
Is Fallbrook, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fallbrook scores better for retirees than 41% of California towns and quieter than 30%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.0).
How much does a house cost in Fallbrook?
The median owner-occupied home in Fallbrook is valued at $784,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,394, so homes cost about 8.1 times income. Median rent is $1,786 a month.
What is the weather like in Fallbrook?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 47.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.3 inches of precipitation a year and 4.9 inches of snow.
Does Fallbrook get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fallbrook since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on February 19, 2005. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)