Visalia, CA, known as 'The Gateway to the Sequoias,' offers a unique blend of suburban tranquility and modern urban amenities. Located in Tulare County, Visalia is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like Fresno (43 miles) and Bakersfield (77 miles) enhance its status as a central point in the region. Visalia's blend of scenic landscapes, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Visalia is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Visalia Fox Theatre, the historic Tulare County Museum, and the scenic Mooney Grove Park. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Sequoia National Park to the bustling Visalia Mall, known for its shopping and dining. Visalia's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from Californian cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Visalia Springfest and the Tulare County Fair highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Visalia's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like College of the Sequoias contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Visalia is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Visalia Fox Theatre and the Arts Consortium are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Visalia provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Visalia’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Visalia Rawhide (MiLB), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Visalia include healthcare, education, and agriculture, with significant employers such as Kaweah Health and Tulare County Office of Education driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and bike-sharing programs, making it easy to navigate the area.
Commute
The high commute score in this area could imply easy access to public transportation, as well as shorter-than-average commute times to your workplace.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Ratings
According to recent surveys and polls, locals had excellent ratings for walkability to nearby amenities, safety, access to public transit and the overall sense of community in the area.
Cost Of Living
This area is known for its high cost of living, which means you should anticipate higher costs for everyday goods and services, housing, groceries, and health care.
Crime
Reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people, this area may be perceived as an unsafe place to reside. These statistics encompass both violent and property crime rates.
Health & Safety
Subpar air quality and the limited availability of certain health-related facilities such as hospitals, police stations, doctors and pharmacies may have contributed to the low score in this category.
Visalia is a moderately-sized city located in the state of California. The city has a population of 136,439 residents. Visalia has a population density of 3,641 people per square mile. This would be considered well above the national population density level. If we look at the most recent Census, Visalia is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Asian and Black. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Visalia are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 30% of the population also speak Spanish. With an average age of 33 years old, Visalia could be a great place to live for young adults as this age is well below the national average. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Visalia offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 21 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Living in Visalia can be a positive experience for anyone moving to the area. Having said that, in the state of California, there are many amazing places to live, so choose wisely! When searching for a new neighborhood, several factors play a vital role in determining its suitability. Safety should be a top priority, ensuring a secure environment with low crime rates. Proximity to your workplace or school helps minimize commuting time and allows for a better work-life balance. Availability of essential amenities such as parks, coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities contributes to convenience and well-being. Access to reliable public transportation options facilitates easy commuting and connectivity. Additionally, considering the sense of community and the overall atmosphere that resonates with your lifestyle and preferences fosters a harmonious living experience. With useful information like commute, health & safety, employment and other key data points, finding the best places to live in Visalia and in the areas around Visalia is a much easier task.
The livability score in Visalia is 72 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 80th percentile of all cities across America. If we examine each of the categories on their own, we see that Visalia ranks well for employment (B) and housing (A+). There is at least one category that you should be aware of in Visalia. The following was graded with a discouraging score: amenities (D), crime (D-) and cost of living (F).
Finding affordable real estate and housing in Visalia can be tricky. Having said that, this area might be the place to get the best of both worlds. Based on factors like home/rental affordability and appreciation rates, this area has received an above average score in the housing category. A healthy real estate market can lead to wealth appreciation for property owners, as rising property values can contribute to homeowners' equity, financial stability and the ability to build long-term wealth.
Assuming that Visalia meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Visalia. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Visalia are simply unattainable. The median home price for Visalia homes is $451,191, which is 38.3% lower than the California average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Visalia, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.5, which is 41.6% lower than the California average.
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.
| Statistic | Visalia | California | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 28min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 80.7% | 73.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.6% | 10.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.8% | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.3% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.2% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 5.4% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
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