The Town FilesFresno, California
City in Fresno County · population 542,107 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $374,800
- Household income
- $70,991
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 32.8
Fresno is a city of 542,107 people in Fresno County, California. The median home is worth $374,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more vibrant than 83% of California towns, more walkable than 78% of California towns, better for cycling than 72% of California towns.
How Fresno 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 Fresno is worth $374,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $70,991, which is more affordable than 71% of California towns. Median rent is $1,421 a month. 50.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fresno | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $374,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,421 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $70,991 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 50.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Fresno
| People | Fresno | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Fresno
July highs average 97.7°F and January lows 40.6°F. About 11.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 113 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fresno since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 22, 1962 about 1.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 18, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 13, 1957.
Severe weather in Fresno County since 1996
Fresno County has been included in 20 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Fresno County
Fresno County had 427,076 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,904 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Fresno itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Public schools in Fresno
184 public schools with 119,447 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyside High | 9-12 | 2,749 | 20.7 |
| Yosemite Valley Charter (charter) | K-12 | 2,697 | 27.0 |
| Edison High | 9-12 | 2,432 | 22.9 |
| Clovis North High | 9-12 | 2,400 | 21.4 |
| Bullard High | 9-12 | 2,371 | 20.8 |
| Roosevelt High | 9-12 | 2,198 | 19.1 |
| Clovis West High | 9-12 | 2,162 | 21.0 |
| Justin Garza High | 9-12 | 2,073 | 24.1 |
| McLane High | 9-12 | 2,045 | 20.7 |
| Herbert Hoover High | 9-12 | 2,021 | 20.6 |
| Fresno High | 9-12 | 2,009 | 19.9 |
| Central East High | 9-12 | 1,754 | 20.2 |
Towns near Fresno
- Old Fig Garden, CA1.3 mi · 5,477 people · home $512,700
- Mayfair, CA2.0 mi · 4,831 people · home $283,300
- Tarpey Village, CA5.2 mi · 3,997 people · home $345,900
- Sunnyside, CA6.6 mi · 4,627 people · home $539,000
- Clovis, CA6.9 mi · 120,124 people · home $482,700
- Madera Ranchos, CA11.1 mi · 3,623 people · home $492,600
- Fowler, CA12.8 mi · 6,700 people · home $379,800
- Bonadelle Ranchos, CA14.0 mi · 5,497 people · home $486,800
Fresno questions
Is Fresno, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fresno scores better for retirees than 14% of California towns and quieter than 9%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Fresno?
The median owner-occupied home in Fresno is valued at $374,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,991, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,421 a month.
What is the weather like in Fresno?
July highs average 97.7°F and January lows 40.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Fresno get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fresno since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 22, 1962. 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)