Fountain Valley, CA

Census place 0625380 · pop 56,258

D−48/ 100
🫤 Rough
B
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity20.6% · top 1%
🚽 Cost$1,072,300 · bottom 3%
Taxes
0.56% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$1,072,3003

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$1,072,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1004

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,706/mo13

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,706/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level16 days13

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

16 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level54 AQI14

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+0.4%32

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+0.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property crime rate1799/100k34

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

1799 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Commute time26 min36

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.7%47

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

3.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4350

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership64.8%53

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

64.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Violent crime rate178/100k54

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

178 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Physical inactivity23.5%59

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

23.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate8.0%69

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

8.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Broadband access94.6%75

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Bachelor's degree or higher46.4%78

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

46.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health14.6%82

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Uninsured adults6.2%83

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

6.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Median household income$115,23784

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$115,237 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property-tax burden0.56%86

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.56% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult smoking8.6%89

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

8.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity20.6%99

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

20.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Frequently asked

Is Fountain Valley, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Fountain Valley scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Fountain Valley, CA?
Fountain Valley reports 178 violent crimes per 100k and 1799 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Fountain Valley, CA expensive to live in?
Fountain Valley has a median home value of $1,072,300 and typical rent around $2,706/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Fountain Valley, CA?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,072,300) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Fountain Valley, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (20.6%) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.