The Town FilesFullerton, California
City in Orange County · population 143,617 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $902,600
- Household income
- $104,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 46° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 36.9
Fullerton is a city of 143,617 people in Orange County, California. The median home is worth $902,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of California towns, better for young professionals than 90% of California towns, more walkable than 84% of California towns.
How Fullerton 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 Fullerton is worth $902,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.7 times the median household income of $104,286, which is more affordable than 19% of California towns. Median rent is $2,194 a month. 51.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fullerton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $902,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,194 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $104,286 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Fullerton
| People | Fullerton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.3% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Fullerton
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F. About 11.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fullerton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 9, 1982 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 23, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on January 31, 1979.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | Fire | FM-5679: Norte Fire |
| May 25, 2026 | Chemical | EM-3646: Chemical Release |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| May 12, 2022 | Fire | FM-5439: Coastal Fire |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 1,661,276 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,403 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Fullerton itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Fullerton
26 public schools with 19,246 students, about 24.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troy High | 9-12 | 2,545 | 23.8 |
| Sunny Hills High | 9-12 | 2,434 | 27.3 |
| Fullerton Union High | 9-12 | 1,848 | 25.3 |
| Beechwood Elementary | K-8 | 921 | 25.6 |
| Robert C. Fisler Elementary | K-8 | 891 | 27.0 |
| Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts | 7-8 | 822 | 22.8 |
| D. Russell Parks Junior High | 7-8 | 771 | 22.0 |
| Sunset Lane Elementary | K-6 | 716 | 28.6 |
| Acacia Elementary | K-6 | 668 | 30.4 |
| Laguna Road Elementary | K-6 | 622 | 28.3 |
| Nicolas Junior High | 7-8 | 615 | 21.2 |
| Raymond Elementary | K-6 | 611 | 29.1 |
Towns near Fullerton
- La Habra, CA3.2 mi · 63,097 people · home $781,600
- Placentia, CA4.2 mi · 51,824 people · home $921,000
- East Whittier, CA4.4 mi · 10,394 people · home $834,100
- Brea, CA4.5 mi · 47,325 people · home $922,300
- La Mirada, CA4.8 mi · 48,008 people · home $825,900
- Buena Park, CA5.0 mi · 84,034 people · home $838,800
- La Habra Heights, CA5.2 mi · 5,682 people · home $1,201,000
- Rowland Heights, CA6.2 mi · 48,231 people · home $851,300
Fullerton questions
Is Fullerton, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fullerton scores better for retirees than 35% of California towns and quieter than 9%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Fullerton?
The median owner-occupied home in Fullerton is valued at $902,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,286, so homes cost about 8.7 times income. Median rent is $2,194 a month.
What is the weather like in Fullerton?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 46.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Fullerton get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fullerton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 9, 1982. 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)