Is Turlock, CA a Good Place to Live?
Turlock is a mid-sized city of 72,504 in California, with a median household income of $74,559 and a 7.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 105 (US average = 100), which is 5% above the national average.
Strengths: Turlock stands out for solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Turlock is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Turlock 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: 105.0Turlock's overall cost of living index is 105.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Turlock costs roughly 5% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Turlock, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $400,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $74,559 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageTurlock's violent crime rate is 475.8 per 100,000 residents — 25% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Turlock is served primarily by Turlock Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Turlock, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Turlock Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 9 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 81.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Turlock sees average highs of 54.9°F in January and 93.0°F in July, with 12.4 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Turlock, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 54.9°F |
| Average High — July | 93.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Turlock, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,504 | — |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 58.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 28.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Turlock
Turlock, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: