Poverty and living standards in Fullerton, California: official figures
12.3% of residents of Fullerton (17,087 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 411th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; California: 12.0%).
How many children live in poverty in Fullerton?
15.5% of children under 18 in Fullerton lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (4,772 children), 402nd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; California: 15.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for older people in Fullerton?
By age, the poverty rate in Fullerton was 15.1% for children under 6 and 8.8% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Fullerton live in deep poverty?
9,252 people in Fullerton, 6.7% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 325th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Fullerton are cost-burdened?
62.4% of renting households in Fullerton spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (13,622 households), 70th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; California: 55.3%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Fullerton spend half their income on rent?
34.1% of renting households in Fullerton spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 79th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Fullerton are food insecure?
An estimated 17.7% of adults in Fullerton experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 293rd highest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 14.7% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Fullerton compares with other cities in the United States
Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Fullerton ranks 413 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 410 | Midland | 12.4% |
| 411 | Monterey Park | 12.4% |
| 412 | Garden Grove | 12.3% |
| 413 | Fullerton | 12.3% |
| 414 | Clarksville | 12.3% |
| 415 | Charleston | 12.3% |
| 416 | Vallejo | 12.2% |
Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Fullerton ranks 402 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children under 18 below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 399 | Duluth | 15.6% |
| 400 | Joliet | 15.6% |
| 401 | Eugene | 15.5% |
| 402 | Fullerton | 15.5% |
| 403 | Palm Desert | 15.5% |
| 404 | North Las Vegas | 15.5% |
| 405 | Berwyn | 15.4% |
Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)
Fullerton ranks 325 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with incomes below half the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 322 | Cambridge | 6.7% |
| 323 | Apple Valley | 6.7% |
| 324 | Ogden | 6.7% |
| 325 | Fullerton | 6.7% |
| 326 | Burien | 6.7% |
| 327 | Tyler | 6.6% |
| 328 | Antioch | 6.6% |
Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)
Fullerton ranks 70 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | Camarillo | 62.5% |
| 68 | Castle Rock | 62.5% |
| 69 | Coral Springs | 62.5% |
| 70 | Fullerton | 62.4% |
| 71 | Weston | 62.4% |
| 72 | Celina | 62.4% |
| 73 | Glendale | 62.3% |
Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Fullerton ranks 293 of 592, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 290 | Tracy | 17.9% |
| 291 | Marietta | 17.8% |
| 292 | Taylorsville | 17.8% |
| 293 | Fullerton | 17.7% |
| 294 | Menifee | 17.7% |
| 295 | Gilroy | 17.7% |
| 296 | Rogers | 17.6% |
More on Fullerton: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)
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