Visalia, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·Visalia

Tulare County · Visalia · population 146,271

Visalia, CA
Image: Wikipedia · Visalia, California
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Visalia stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $397,983
1-year +0.8%
5-yr CAGR +5.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$398k$193k$267k$340k$414k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,845/mo$1,287$1,621$1,956202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent128135100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.0
Lean buy

At a 18.0 price-to-rent ratio, Visalia is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
54 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
62 · w16%
Rent YoY
64 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
72 · w10%
Long thesis

Visalia has held up across the cycle: home values at $397,983 with +5.0% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Visalia's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Visalia

Visalia is a city in Tulare County, California, with an estimated population of 146,271. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Visalia is $397,983 as of 2026-04, up 0.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Visalia average $1,845 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.9%). The composite momentum score is 67 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Visalia (Wikipedia)

Visalia is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-most populous city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 38th most populous in California, and 183rd in the United States. As the county seat of Tulare County, Visalia serves as the economic and governmental center to one of the most productive agricultural counties in the country.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorLeslie Caviglia
Area37.94 sq mi
Elevation331 ft
IncorporatedFebruary 27, 1874
NicknameGateway to the Sequoias
Density3,726.52/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Tulare County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Tulare County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Visalia

95 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Cobblestone Estates$903,712-0.2%
2Lakewood$884,973+1.2%
3Country Akers$847,379+4.6%
4Amber Crossing$699,355-0.1%
5Gold Creek$641,110+2.3%
6Pheasant Ridge$637,968-1.8%
7Foxwood$627,788+3.4%
8Millwood$582,190+2.2%
9Hidden Oaks$552,824+1.9%
10The Lakes$552,649-1.2%
11Diamond Creek$547,832+0.1%
12Sterling Ranch$541,067-2.8%
13Key West$524,378+0.3%
14Green Acres$520,482+4.3%
15King's Estate$508,953+1.5%
16Briarwood$504,625+0.3%
17The Ranch$499,859-0.1%
18Walnut Breeze$499,257+0.2%
19Rancho Santa Fe$489,822-0.4%
20Summerfield$487,868-0.0%
21Oakwest$485,199+0.9%
22Shannon Ranch$483,664-0.3%
23Ashley Grove$482,206-0.5%
24Silver Oaks$480,504-0.4%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Visalia

Hesperia, CA66 · RisingTulare, CA68 · RisingPorterville, CA66 · RisingNational City, CA65 · Rising

Run the numbers for Visalia

ToolCan I afford Visalia?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Visalia rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Visalia to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolVisalia cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
60° / 41°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
258
~71% of year
Annual precip
22″ rain
8″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very high
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Visalia listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Visalia area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$91,500
California state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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