The Town Files

French Valley, California

Community in Riverside County · population 35,280 (2020 Census)

Map: where French Valley is in CaliforniaFrench Valley
Median home
$679,800
Household income
$148,520
Jan low / Jul high
47° / 87°
Snow a year
4 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
33.7

French Valley is a community of 35,280 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $679,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 94% of California towns, more upscale than 71% of California towns.

How French Valley 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.

French Valley lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement22nd pctFamilies94th pctQuiet33rd pctWalkability50th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals39th pctVibrancy46th pctHip & trendy15th pctCollege town53rd pctUpscale71st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling55th pctTransit40th pctDriving53rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in French Valley is worth $679,800, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $148,520, which is more affordable than 84% of California towns. Median rent is $3,119 a month. 87.4% of households own their home.

French Valley vs Riverside County vs typical California townFrench ValleyRiverside CountyTypical California townHome value$679,800$557,300$596,900Household income$148,520$93,074$91,557Monthly rent$3,119$1,901$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingFrench ValleyTypical California town
Median home value$679,800$596,900
Median rent$3,119$1,827
Median household income$148,520$91,557
Home value ÷ income4.6×6.4×
Homeownership87.4%67.4%
Median year built20091977
Seasonal / vacation homes0.5%—

Who lives in French Valley

PeopleFrench ValleyTypical California town
Median age33.740.2
Age 65 and over10.4%17.7%
Under 1832.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher37.5%27.7%
Below the poverty line4.9%10.3%
Veterans11.3%—
Born outside the U.S.13.1%—
Work from home18.8%13.4%
Average commute41.4 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband98.5%93.3%

Weather in French Valley

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 3.8 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.

French Valley monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°68°47°Jan67°46°Feb70°48°Mar72°51°Apr75°53°May81°56°Jun87°60°Jul89°62°Aug88°62°Sep83°58°Oct74°52°Nov67°46°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.20.93.71.52.00.41.00.60.40.10.10.20.10.71.10.12.60.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Fallbrook 5 Ne station (12.1 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French Valley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on February 19, 2005 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 8, 2022.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of French Valley by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s11990s22000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 20, 2014.

Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996

Storm events in Riverside County since 1996 by typeHeat71Flood135Drought104Wildfire233High Wind661Dust Storm46Heavy Rain92Heavy Snow60
NOAA Storm Events Database, Riverside County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 54 deaths recorded.

Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
May 20, 2026FireFM-5636: Bain Fire
September 11, 2024FireFM-5538: Airport Fire
July 21, 2024FireFM-5515: Hawarden Fire
November 21, 2023HurricaneDR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary
January 9, 2023FloodEM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Riverside County

Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in French Valley itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.

Largest industries in Riverside CountyHealth care & social assistan…132,092 jobs · $53,956Retail94,170 jobs · $44,156Hotels & restaurants90,357 jobs · $32,150Construction74,216 jobs · $73,089Transportation & warehousing73,962 jobs · $62,875Administrative & support50,769 jobs · $45,983
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Riverside County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Riverside 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in French Valley

1 public school with 583 students, about 23.3 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Summit AcademyK-658323.3

Towns near French Valley

French Valley questions

Is French Valley, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, French Valley scores better for retirees than 22% of California towns and quieter than 33%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).

How much does a house cost in French Valley?

The median owner-occupied home in French Valley is valued at $679,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,520, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $3,119 a month.

What is the weather like in French Valley?

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 3.8 inches of snow.

Does French Valley get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on February 19, 2005. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to French Valley's Census boundary (GEOID 0626067). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.