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Compare towns

Tustin vs Fullerton

13 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (2× in Fullerton) and average commute (8 min in Tustin).

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Tustin, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 78,981 people
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Fullerton, CAA college townCalifornia · 140,968 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Tustin

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Tustin$6,750/mo
Typical home $1.16M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $2,449/mo · Housing →
Fullerton$6,000/mo
Typical home $1.04M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $2,194/mo · Housing →

The difference: $760 a month, about $9,100 a year, between Tustin and Fullerton.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Tustin places higher on 12 of 23 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
TustinFullerton
Snow a year0″0″
January low49°F—
July high83°F—
Growing season (days)365d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)88th89th
Outdoors & history
TustinFullerton
Conserved land4%8.1%
Settled—1887
National Register places423
Archive photos19—
Famous people born here17—
Community
TustinFullerton
Library hours a week60 hrs36 hrs
Colleges in town—5
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

13 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TustinFullertonTustinFullerton
Tustin ↔ Fullerton13 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

TustinFullerton
People
Population 78,981Lowest 140,968Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3% CA: +6.1% +6.3% CA: +6.1%
Median age 37.5±1.3Highest about the CA average 36.9±0.8Lowest about the CA average
Tustin and Fullerton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.5%±1.6Highest CA: 22% 22.1%±1.2Lowest CA: 22%
Tustin and Fullerton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.1%±1.3Lowest CA: 15.7% 15.2%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7%
Fullerton and Tustin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 47.4%Highest CA: 37.1% 43.5%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6% 10.1%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6%
Fullerton and Tustin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $112,503±$6kHighest 13% above CA $104,286±$3kLowest 5% above CA
Tustin and Fullerton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $950,400±$31kHighest 29% above CA $902,600±$13kLowest 23% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,449±$57Highest 20% above CA $2,194±$37Lowest 8% above CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,725Highest 31% above CA $5,697Lowest 11% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.6%±4.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 62.4%±3.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Fullerton and Tustin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.9%Lowest CA: 12% 12.3%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.8%Lowest CA: 55.9% 51.8%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 21% below CA 31 minHighest 6% above CA
Work from home 19.2%±1.9Highest CA: 17.2% 14.9%±1.2Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 7.2%Lowest 10.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 11.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.37Highest 0.97Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Irvine (17%)Anaheim (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FullertonFew work in Tustin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4%Lowest 8.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 19.8 miLowest 39.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 mi 1.8 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 23Lowest 45Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 132Highest 114Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #291 of 574 in CA#164 of 574 in CA
School district Tustin UnifiedFullerton Elementary · Fullerton Joint Union High
High school in town Tustin HighTroy High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.9Highest 23.2Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Tustin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tustin’s Town Square.

Fullerton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fullerton’s Town Square.

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Bordering Tustin

Towns like Tustin

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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