California · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Tulare County, CA

Prices around Tulare County, CA run 0.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $71,300 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,474 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $58,960 a year.

Tulare County, CA at a glance

Median household income

$71,300$5,942 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,474HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)99.8-0.2% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity34.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential CA
Population478,693Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Tulare County, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,474Monthly market rent
Share of gross income24.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$58,960To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,783At 30% of $71,300
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Tulare County, CA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Visalia, CA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Tulare County, CA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,116$13,392$44,64018.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,123$13,476$44,92018.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,474$17,688$58,96024.8%
3-Bedroom Home$2,028$24,336$81,12034.1%
4-Bedroom Home$2,393$28,716$95,72040.3%

Rent in Tulare County, CA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Tulare County, CA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $71,300 a year ($5,942 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,971/moRent ($1,474 2-BR), utilities (~$313/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,783/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,188/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $71,300 leaves after California taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and California tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$71,300
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$71,300
Net 79%
Fed 10%
CA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,511After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,709Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,174Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,856 / yr
California state income tax$2,479 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,454 / yr

Living in Tulare County, CA: common questions

What is the median household income in Tulare County, CA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Tulare County, CA is $71,300 per year (approximately $5,942 per month).

What is the average rent in Tulare County, CA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,116 for a studio, $1,123 for one bedroom, $1,474 for two, $2,028 for three and $2,393 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Tulare County, CA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 99.8, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Tulare County, CA?

To keep a $1,474 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $58,960 a year, or $4,913 a month. That is 83% of what the typical household in Tulare County, CA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Tulare County, CA?

On the local median income of $71,300 ($5,942 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,971 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,783 for everything else and $1,188 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,474 takes 50% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Tulare County, CA?

Homes in California paid 34.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $313. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.