Name: Fullerton, CA
Rating: 0.0

Considering buying a new home? Access hyper-local data to help you make a confident and informed decision.

( 31 Ratings )

Living in Fullerton, CA

Ranks better than 67% of areas Follow

Population

141,061

Median Age

35.2 Years

Fullerton Area Facts

Fullerton has a Livability Score of 67_/100, which is considered good
Fullerton crime rates are 10% lower than the California average
Cost of living in Fullerton is 22% higher than the California average

Is This the Right Place for You?

Uncover the key details before you move
Use local data to guide a smarter investment
Compare neighborhoods side by side

GET REPORT →

What do the locals think about Fullerton?

62%

Family friendly

46%

Public transit is accessible

46%

Walkable to grocery stores

42%

Yards are well-kept

54%

Lots of parks

46%

Walkable to restaurants

Friendly neighbors

Safe at night

Pet friendly

Streets have sidewalks

35%

A quiet area

27%

Sense of community

Based on 26 votes from AreaVibes users. Take the poll

Fullerton Reviews

Write a review about Fullerton Tell people what you like or don't like about Fullerton…

What Living in Fullerton CA Is Like-My Review Of the City 3.5 rating By Anonymous ( Dec 19, 2014) I am a single female in my early 30's who lived in Fullerton, CA for 4 years. Fullerton is apart of, Orange County. Fullerton has a lot to offer for those who are in college or a student, but may become dull and boring for those who are single and past the college age. After fini ...Read More shing college (in a degree that I wasn't going to make any money in), I decided to go for a Bachelor's degree in Illustration at California State Fullerton. As previously noted, Fullerton is more like a college town, so there are a ton of places to rent that are inexpensive; most of these apartments are located near low-income families and other students, but the area is generally safe. My first apartment was $1400 (nowhere near a campus). Fullerton is very expensive in areas that are not close to the major universities. The only reason I was able to afford this apartment in the first place was because of me landing an online gig as a graphic designer for a t-shirt company.

When I wasn't hacking away on my computer for hours, I often met up with a few friends of mine at my favorite Italian restaurant, "Angelo's and Vinci's Restorante". When I wasn't eating or working, I was shopping. There are few malls in Fullerton, but there is a host of shopping outlets. The most popular one is the OC Outlet; where you can get real designer clothes at dirt cheap prices.

Nightlife in Fullerton is great, even for those who are not under 30 years old. "The Twisted Vine" and the "Continental Room" are favorites of people who live in Fullerton. These two party places are for the mature crowd who like to eat and enjoy a beer or wine without being in a club setting. Read Less

Fullerton is great! 4 rating By Jax101 ( Mar 31, 2014) I've lived here for 37 years, basically my entire life. Some "rough" areas of the city aren't necessarily bad areas. There are many many great family neighborhoods scattered throughout the city. Most of the schools are great and the city allows and open enrollment period which al ...Read More lows you to choose which schools you'd like your kids to attend if there is the space available.
There is shopping restaurants and lots to do. We're a short distance from Disneyland and knotts berry farm. Lots of trails, hiking, etc. it's only about a 30 min drive to the beaches and 1.5 hours to the mountains and an hour or so to deserts.
The communities and people are fantastic and I seriously love the diversity. There are people from all walks of life. Fullerton can easily be referred to as a little big town. With 130 thousand people you'd never know by the small town feel.
The only drawback is that housing is very expensive as with any where you go in Southern California. But if California is what you're looking for then the price can be worth it here. Read Less

Friendly community with many activities to offer 4.5 rating By amerigeavenue ( Mar 13, 2013) Fullerton is a warm, friendly, eclectic community that offers many activities to it's diverse residents and visitors. The highlight of Fullerton is Downtown, where vintage shops, unique and delicious restaurants, and charming coffee houses can be found along tree-lined streets w ...Read More ith lights. Several recommended places are Ye Olde Ship (an authentic British pub), Rialto Cafe, Brownstone Cafe, Rutabegorz (great menu for all tastes- has healthy options as well as vegetarian and vegan options), Kento's Greek Kitchen, Chomp Rock 'n Roll Sushi (explosion roll is the best!), Old Spaghetti Factory, Out of Vogue, Brick Basement, Buffalo Exchange, Roadkill Ranch, Tranquil Tea Lounge, Green Bliss Cafe, Night Owl Cafe, and Cafe Veronese. Also, there is a charming train station that has a great view of Disneyland fireworks. Metrolink trains run through here, which makes commuting to L.A. a breeze. You can even take special trains to some events at Edison Field in Anaheim and avoid the parking crunch.

If you are moving to Fullerton, be aware that it can be categorized into several neighborhoods (some of which are recommended over others). South of Commonwealth has some parts that are a little rougher than others. To the far East lies Cal State Fullerton and Hope University, which draw many college students to the apartment complexes nearby. Moving a little West you will find a quiet, affordable, and friendly residential area close to good schools. Several streets from this neighborhood set up great displays for Christmas! A little further West than this is the Downtown neighborhood which has many historic bungalows. In this neighborhood is Fullerton Junior College and the Continuation College Campus, so streets close by can have parking issues in the evening. On the West side of Harbor Blvd (the center of Downtown) is the central library and new Community Center, right next to Downtown. Further West is another safe, quiet, residential neighborhood. North of Chapman Avenue is where most of the expensive Fullerton homes exist in the hills with beautiful views of Orange County and the ocean (facing South), or the hills of Carbon Canyon (East and North). There are many hiking trails in this area. Parks are scattered all throughout the city.

Having been a resident of this community for nearly ten years, I have been really happy living in Fullerton. I would recommend it for fun young couples, families, and retirees. Read Less

Fullerton is Heading South 3 rating By Chuckest ( Dec 25, 2011) I have lived in Fullerton for 40 years. When I came the police department was "Local" most of the officers were from Fullerton. And they were "Peace Officers" . If you called them for excessive noise after ten PM they would come, and talk to the offender and try to get them to tu ...Read More rn down the music. Then they would talk to the caller and try to get them to tolerate slight loud music.

Now they are "Law Enforcement Officers" when they are called out they cite the law breaker, and if they find the caller in violation of any law they cite him as well.

I am afraid if we do not do something to reign them in they are heading toward para-military officers.

In July of this year 6 Fullerton Police Officers beat a homeless to death. The police reports said he was "SUSPECTED" of breaking into cars near the downtown area. The City Council did nothing. All six cops stayed on the job, which sent a signal to the citizens that the police must have been justified in the severe beating because the offender must have put up some major (perhaps on PCP) resistance. To confirm this assumption two of the officers reported broken bones.

As the truth began to emerge the homeless man was not breaking into cars, The cops knew him, they knew he was mentally ill. And aside from trying to run away, did not resist the cops. But he was beaten to nonrecognition, tazzed at least five times and while laying face down cops with their weight on the homeless man compressed his lungs and he suffocated to death.

There can be no reason for a 135 pound man to require six officers to restrain and handcuff. Read Less

Show All Reviews

Friendly community with many activities to offer 4.5 rating By amerigeavenue ( Mar 13, 2013) Fullerton is a warm, friendly, eclectic community that offers many activities to it's diverse residents and visitors. The highlight of Fullerton is Downtown, where vintage shops, unique and delicious restaurants, and charming coffee houses can be found along tree-lined streets w ...Read More ith lights. Several recommended places are Ye Olde Ship (an authentic British pub), Rialto Cafe, Brownstone Cafe, Rutabegorz (great menu for all tastes- has healthy options as well as vegetarian and vegan options), Kento's Greek Kitchen, Chomp Rock 'n Roll Sushi (explosion roll is the best!), Old Spaghetti Factory, Out of Vogue, Brick Basement, Buffalo Exchange, Roadkill Ranch, Tranquil Tea Lounge, Green Bliss Cafe, Night Owl Cafe, and Cafe Veronese. Also, there is a charming train station that has a great view of Disneyland fireworks. Metrolink trains run through here, which makes commuting to L.A. a breeze. You can even take special trains to some events at Edison Field in Anaheim and avoid the parking crunch.

If you are moving to Fullerton, be aware that it can be categorized into several neighborhoods (some of which are recommended over others). South of Commonwealth has some parts that are a little rougher than others. To the far East lies Cal State Fullerton and Hope University, which draw many college students to the apartment complexes nearby. Moving a little West you will find a quiet, affordable, and friendly residential area close to good schools. Several streets from this neighborhood set up great displays for Christmas! A little further West than this is the Downtown neighborhood which has many historic bungalows. In this neighborhood is Fullerton Junior College and the Continuation College Campus, so streets close by can have parking issues in the evening. On the West side of Harbor Blvd (the center of Downtown) is the central library and new Community Center, right next to Downtown. Further West is another safe, quiet, residential neighborhood. North of Chapman Avenue is where most of the expensive Fullerton homes exist in the hills with beautiful views of Orange County and the ocean (facing South), or the hills of Carbon Canyon (East and North). There are many hiking trails in this area. Parks are scattered all throughout the city.

Having been a resident of this community for nearly ten years, I have been really happy living in Fullerton. I would recommend it for fun young couples, families, and retirees. Read Less

Fullerton is Heading South 3 rating By Chuckest ( Dec 25, 2011) I have lived in Fullerton for 40 years. When I came the police department was "Local" most of the officers were from Fullerton. And they were "Peace Officers" . If you called them for excessive noise after ten PM they would come, and talk to the offender and try to get them to tu ...Read More rn down the music. Then they would talk to the caller and try to get them to tolerate slight loud music.

Now they are "Law Enforcement Officers" when they are called out they cite the law breaker, and if they find the caller in violation of any law they cite him as well.

I am afraid if we do not do something to reign them in they are heading toward para-military officers.

In July of this year 6 Fullerton Police Officers beat a homeless to death. The police reports said he was "SUSPECTED" of breaking into cars near the downtown area. The City Council did nothing. All six cops stayed on the job, which sent a signal to the citizens that the police must have been justified in the severe beating because the offender must have put up some major (perhaps on PCP) resistance. To confirm this assumption two of the officers reported broken bones.

As the truth began to emerge the homeless man was not breaking into cars, The cops knew him, they knew he was mentally ill. And aside from trying to run away, did not resist the cops. But he was beaten to nonrecognition, tazzed at least five times and while laying face down cops with their weight on the homeless man compressed his lungs and he suffocated to death.

There can be no reason for a 135 pound man to require six officers to restrain and handcuff. Read Less

Fullerton, CA - Full of Life 4 rating By Anonymous ( May 31, 2010) I have only visited Fullerton once but I was impressed by its cleanliness and concern for nature. Th city of Fullerton is unlike larger cities in California which have been modernized at the expense of natural vegetation. During my stay over the weekend, I visited one of my frien ...Read More ds, who works at an Equestrian Center in Coyote Hills. Coyote Hills is a low lying, somewhat barren hilly area, by the Sea. It is popular because of its numerous bicycle, motorbike, equestrian and walking trials.

If you have a family then you should consider moving here because the Fullerton public and private schools are regarded as some of the best in Nation. My friend's son goes to University of California Fullerton campus, even after getting scholarship offer from the famed Los Angeles campus.

It seems that everyone is spellbound by the artistic atmosphere of Fullerton. I haven't visited any theaters but my friend told me that someone coming from New York will never miss anything, as several music companies and Civil Light Opera perform daily shows in many historic theaters, around Fullerton. It also has a great nightlife for people who are Rock N Roll, Punk and Hip Hop, types. Read Less

Compare Fullerton, CA Livability

Compare Neighborhoods & Addresses

Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.

UNLOCK FULL COMPARISON →

Fullerton, CA

Founded in the late 1880s, Fullerton is located in Northern Orange County, in Southern California. It is also approximately 10 minutes north of Anaheim and a 30 minutes drive from Los Angeles. Being the fourth oldest city in Orange County, you can expect to see lots of historical sites, buildings, and properties.

If you have a passion for history, then your weekends will be packed with plenty of fun activities to do. The good thing about Fullerton’s community is that everyone is very welcoming. The city also boasts of being the smartest community in the entire state behind Irvine.

Being one of the best areas for education, Fullerton has five universities and colleges, including Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College. These education centers also cater to the communities’ educational needs by providing regular public talks with renowned guest speakers.

Fullerton, CA offers more than 2,500 parking spots that are free and open to the public. With all these available spaces, you will have peace of mind as you enjoy your meal at the restaurant or have fun at the bar, without worrying about your car being towed.

Apart from being a historical timepiece, Fullerton is also known for its independent minor league baseball team. You will also gain access to the entertainment aspects of the city like listening to live music in the South of Commonwealth Ave - Soco. In fact, this is where some of the most notable names in music started like Social Distortion, The Adolescents, and The Offspring.

Another notable aspect of Soco is that you not only get to enjoy the music; you also get to visit different restaurants and bars. No packed foods here, you can visit the Fullerton farmers market four days every week and get fresh, mouthwatering produce for any delicious meal.

For families with children who love playing outdoors, Fullerton is full of parks you can enjoy. It has at least 50 parks, which include the Hillcrest Park, Rolling Hills Park, and Craig Regional Park. Fullerton also maintains a swim complex, an equestrian center, tennis courts, and the Brea Dam Recreational Area. If you are a football or soccer fan, the size of Fullerton’s stadium—Cal State Titan Stadium— is perfect for any huge football or soccer game.

Due to its vicinity to Los Angeles and its size, the Cal State Titan Stadium has been used to host some of the most incredible games, and you get to be part of the experience. Despite being quite historic, Fullerton does come with different adventures anyone can enjoy. If you are the type of person who loves partying, Fullerton has got you covered. If you like having peaceful nights, Fullerton comes with several places to discover.