Fountain Valley California City Guide

Fountain Valley, California is known as an upscale, middle-class residential community with all the benefits of a big city and the charm of a small town.

The land that later became Fountain Valley was first a part of Rancho Los Nietos, owned by Manuel Nieto. The ranch traded hands and was portioned off through the years, then became Mexico’s property when Mexico became independent from Spain. The land officially became owned by the United States when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed.

In the early years of Fountain Valley, which was first known as Talbert, agriculture was the main source of income. However, when the city was first incorporated in 1957, agriculture quickly took a back seat to the construction of residential housing and business centers.

The city’s name pays homage to the area’s high water table and artesian wells. Today, about 56,000 diverse residents live in Fountain Valley.

Out of Fountain Valley’s 56,000 residents, 51% are female, and 49% are male.

33% of residents have some college education or at least an associate’s degree, and 29% have a bachelor’s degree. 13% of the population has earned a master’s degree or a higher degree.

47% of residents are White, and 33% are Asian. Another 17% of the population is Hispanic, and 3% of residents come from other ethnic backgrounds.

The estimated median individual income is $35K, and the median household income is $86K. The unemployment rate is about 3.3%, and the poverty rate in Fountain Valley trends around 8.7%.

Seeing as Fountain Valley is served by multiple school districts, students in the city have fast access to a number of campuses in differing districts.

All in all, Fountain Valley contains 9 elementary school campuses, 1 K-12 campus, 2 K-8 schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 9-12 campuses. Overall, each campus in Fountain Valley makes a name for itself by having high academic standards, educated teachers, above-average health and safety statistics, and more impressive qualities. Even so, students living in Fountain Valley can attend neighboring cities to gain their education.

Several of what are commonly considered to be the top schools in Fountain Valley include Ethan B. Allen Elementary School, Rich Courreges Elementary School, Hisamatsu Tamura Elementary School, Kazuo Masuda Middle School, and Fountain Valley High School.

There are also a range of private schools in the area, including Shoreline Christian School, Excelsius Academy, Fountain Valley Montessori Center, and Slater Montessori Academy.

Fountain Valley Elementary School District and Garden Grove Unified School District oversee the majority of elementary schools and early childhood education campuses in Fountain Valley and the surrounding areas.

Additionally, Fountain Valley Elementary School District has 3 middle schools, and Garden Grove Unified School District includes 1 local high school campus.

Established in 1903, Huntington Beach Union High School District oversees Fountain Valley High School and Valley Vista High School in addition to 9 other campuses in the surrounding areas. This district is known for academic excellence and community involvement.

Huntington Beach Union High School District also has a wide range of specialized programs and alternative learning settings.

Fountain Valley’s cost of living is 18% higher than California’s average. Also, the area’s overall cost of living is 66% higher than the national average.

Real estate prices in this city track 53% higher than the statewide average, and rental prices are 37% higher than California’s estimated average. Altogether, housing costs here are 194% over the U.S. average.

Goods and services in Fountain Valley are reportedly 10% over the national average. Additionally, groceries are 16% more expensive than the U.S. average.

Based on public transit and gas prices, local transportation costs are 30% more expensive than the national rate and about 2% more costly than the statewide average.