The Town FilesVisalia, California
City in Tulare County · population 141,384 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $371,500
- Household income
- $81,989
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 33.9
Visalia is a city of 141,384 people in Tulare County, California. The median home is worth $371,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 80% of California towns, more vibrant than 76% of California towns.
How Visalia 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 Visalia is worth $371,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $81,989, which is more affordable than 85% of California towns. Median rent is $1,490 a month. 61.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Visalia | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $371,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,490 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $81,989 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Visalia
| People | Visalia | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Visalia
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 38.4°F. About 10.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 95 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 9 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Visalia since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 5, 1980 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 27, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 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 Visalia itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Visalia
52 public schools with 32,812 students, about 22.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood High | 9-12 | 2,468 | 24.7 |
| Golden West High | 9-12 | 2,009 | 22.6 |
| El Diamante High | 9-12 | 1,942 | 21.6 |
| Mt. Whitney High | 9-12 | 1,629 | 21.2 |
| Special Education | K-12 | 1,089 | 10.9 |
| Ridgeview Middle | 7-8 | 932 | 29.1 |
| Valley Oak Middle | 7-8 | 930 | 33.2 |
| Riverway Elementary | K-6 | 859 | 25.3 |
| Annie R. Mitchell | K-6 | 773 | 25.8 |
| Green Acres Middle | 6-8 | 769 | 28.5 |
| Divisadero Middle | 7-8 | 759 | 25.3 |
| Crescent Valley Public Charter II (charter) | K-12 | 757 | 28.0 |
Towns near Visalia
- Goshen, CA5.4 mi · 4,968 people · home $289,300
- Farmersville, CA6.8 mi · 10,397 people · home $248,500
- Ivanhoe, CA7.0 mi · 4,468 people · home $228,100
- Tulare, CA8.9 mi · 68,875 people · home $329,800
- Exeter, CA10.4 mi · 10,321 people · home $307,600
- Cutler, CA13.7 mi · 4,480 people · home $210,700
- Woodlake, CA13.9 mi · 7,419 people · home $300,200
- Orosi, CA14.9 mi · 8,329 people · home $227,100
Visalia questions
Is Visalia, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Visalia scores better for retirees than 24% of California towns and quieter than 20%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in Visalia?
The median owner-occupied home in Visalia is valued at $371,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,989, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,490 a month.
What is the weather like in Visalia?
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 38.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Visalia get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Visalia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 5, 1980. 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)