What are the schools like in Porterville, CA?

Porterville is served primarily by Porterville Unified. The district operates 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 8 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 22.0:1.

What is the median household income in Porterville?

The median household income in Porterville, CA is $55,785 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 10.1%.

What is the weather like in Porterville, CA?

Porterville has an average high temperature of 59.1°F in January and 98.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 11.0 inches and annual snowfall averages 0.2 inches.

Porterville, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Porterville, CA affordable or expensive?

Porterville's cost of living index is 101, where 100 represents the national average. This means Porterville is 1% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $246,900 and the median rent is $1,086 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Porterville, CA?

Porterville has a violent crime rate of 384.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1481.9 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Porterville, CA a Good Place to Live?

Porterville is a mid-sized city of 62,491 in California, with a median household income of $55,785 and a 10.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Porterville stands out for lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Porterville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Porterville city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 101.3

Porterville's overall cost of living index is 101.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Porterville costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric	Porterville, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$246,900	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,086	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	55.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$55,785	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Porterville's violent crime rate is 384.8 per 100,000 residents — 1% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

384.8 /100k

Property Crime

1481.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Porterville is served primarily by Porterville Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Porterville, CA	National Avg
School District	Porterville Unified	—
Elementary Schools	10	—
Middle Schools	3	—
High Schools	8	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	22.0:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	13.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	69.3%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Porterville sees average highs of 59.1°F in January and 98.4°F in July, with 11.0 inches of annual precipitation and 0.2 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Porterville, CA
Average High — January	59.1°F
Average High — July	98.4°F
Annual Precipitation	11.0"
Annual Snowfall	0.2"

Demographics

Metric	Porterville, CA	National Avg
Population	62,491	—
Median Age	31.3	38.9
Unemployment Rate	10.1%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	24.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	48.8%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	42.4%	18.9%
Asian	3.7%	6.3%
Under 18	30.7%	22.2%
65 and over	11.8%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

East Porterville, CA 3 mi Strathmore, CA 6 mi Poplar-Cotton Center, CA 7 mi Woodville Farm Labor Camp, CA 7 mi Terra Bella, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Porterville

Porterville, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93257

Porterville vs Other Cities

Porterville, CA vs East Porterville, CA Porterville, CA vs Strathmore, CA Porterville, CA vs Poplar-Cotton Center, CA Porterville, CA vs Woodville Farm Labor Camp, CA Porterville, CA vs Terra Bella, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Porterville, CA affordable or expensive?

Porterville's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Porterville roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $246,900 and median rent is $1,086/month.

What is the crime rate in Porterville, CA?

Porterville's violent crime rate is 384.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1481.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Porterville?

Public schools in Porterville are operated by Porterville Unified. The district has 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.0:1. 13.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Porterville, CA a good place to live?

Porterville, CA has a population of 62,491, a median household income of $55,785, and an unemployment rate of 10.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Porterville?

Porterville averages 59.1°F in January and 98.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.0 inches with about 0.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Porterville?

Porterville, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93257.

What is the population of Porterville?

The population of Porterville, California is 62,491 with a median age of 31.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Porterville?

Key numbers for living in Porterville: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $246,900, median household income $55,785, crime index 89 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Porterville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.