The Town FilesPorterville, California
City in Tulare County · population 62,623 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $285,700
- Household income
- $60,461
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 30.9
Porterville is a city of 62,623 people in Tulare County, California. The median home is worth $285,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 80% of California towns, more walkable than 78% of California towns, more of a college town than 72% of California towns.
How Porterville 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 Porterville is worth $285,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $60,461, which is more affordable than 82% of California towns. Median rent is $1,148 a month. 54.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Porterville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $285,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,148 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $60,461 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 54.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Porterville
| People | Porterville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 26.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Porterville
July highs average 98.4°F and January lows 39.7°F. About 11.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 122 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 15 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Porterville since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on January 31, 2016.
Severe weather in Tulare County since 1996
Tulare County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
| September 13, 2020 | Fire | FM-5373: Sqf Fire Complex |
Jobs and pay in Tulare County
Tulare County had 177,657 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,038 a year. Unemployment was 10% in 2023; in Porterville itself the ACS puts it at 10.1%.
Public schools in Porterville
33 public schools with 19,879 students, about 22.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Charter Academy (charter) | K-12 | 2,426 | 22.9 |
| Porterville High | 9-12 | 2,136 | 25.7 |
| Monache High | 9-12 | 1,934 | 21.5 |
| Granite Hills High | 9-12 | 1,168 | 21.2 |
| Santa Fe Elementary | K-5 | 822 | 22.8 |
| Pioneer Middle | 6-8 | 717 | 18.9 |
| Westfield Elementary | K-6 | 652 | 25.1 |
| Olive Street Elementary | K-6 | 638 | 26.6 |
| Burton Middle | 7-8 | 591 | 21.9 |
| John J. Doyle Elementary | K-6 | 575 | 24.0 |
| Vandalia Elementary | K-5 | 549 | 26.1 |
| Sequoia Middle | 7-8 | 521 | 20.0 |
Towns near Porterville
- East Porterville, CA3.3 mi · 5,549 people · home $257,700
- Strathmore, CA6.0 mi · 2,830 people · home $213,200
- Terra Bella, CA7.2 mi · 2,910 people · home $236,500
- Lindsay, CA10.6 mi · 12,659 people · home $286,400
- Tipton, CA15.6 mi · 2,519 people · home $243,900
- Pixley, CA16.1 mi · 3,828 people · home $242,200
- Exeter, CA17.1 mi · 10,321 people · home $307,600
- Earlimart, CA17.9 mi · 7,679 people · home $264,200
Porterville questions
Is Porterville, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Porterville scores better for retirees than 10% of California towns and quieter than 8%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.9).
How much does a house cost in Porterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Porterville is valued at $285,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,461, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $1,148 a month.
What is the weather like in Porterville?
July highs average 98.4°F and January lows 39.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Porterville get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Porterville in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)