The Town FilesTipton, California
Community in Tulare County · population 2,519 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $243,900
- Household income
- $45,243
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 30.3
Tipton is a community of 2,519 people in Tulare County, California. The median home is worth $243,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 99% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of California towns.
How Tipton 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 Tipton is worth $243,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $45,243, which is more affordable than 69% of California towns. Median rent is $1,370 a month. 25.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tipton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $243,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,370 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $45,243 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 25.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tipton
| People | Tipton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 4.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 31.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 52.8% | — |
| Work from home | 0.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Tipton
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
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tipton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on November 9, 2012 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 9, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on April 24, 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 Tipton itself the ACS puts it at 10.4%.
Public schools in Tipton
1 public school with 501 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tipton Elementary | K-8 | 501 | 17.3 |
Towns near Tipton
- Pixley, CA5.6 mi · 3,828 people · home $242,200
- Tulare, CA10.0 mi · 68,875 people · home $329,800
- Earlimart, CA11.7 mi · 7,679 people · home $264,200
- Corcoran, CA14.0 mi · 22,339 people · home $236,100
- Strathmore, CA15.2 mi · 2,830 people · home $213,200
- Porterville, CA15.6 mi · 62,623 people · home $285,700
- Lindsay, CA16.2 mi · 12,659 people · home $286,400
- Terra Bella, CA16.8 mi · 2,910 people · home $236,500
Tipton questions
Is Tipton, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tipton scores better for retirees than 11% of California towns and quieter than 38%. 4.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.3).
How much does a house cost in Tipton?
The median owner-occupied home in Tipton is valued at $243,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,243, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,370 a month.
What is the weather like in Tipton?
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 Tipton get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tipton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on November 9, 2012. 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)