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Living in Visalia, CA

Mid-size city in California

Visalia is a mid-size city in California, home to about 143,000 people, with 654,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Visalia a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $375k and rents for $2,030 a month
  • Easy flying: FAT is 38 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Smaller job market: about 654,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.77% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Visalia ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
143,000
654,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
57°F / 92°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$375k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,030/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.77% property tax
Safety
1.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
23%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
FAT
38 mi away

Living in Visalia: common questions

What is the cost of living in Visalia?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $375k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,030 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Visalia?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.77% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Visalia safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Visalia?

Visalia has mild winters: winter days average around 57°F and summer days around 92°F.

Does Visalia get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, earthquakes and heat waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.5 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Visalia?

The nearest major airport is FAT, about 38 mi away.

How Visalia scores

Each bar compares Visalia with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Below average
✈️Airport Good

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Is Visalia right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.