Fullerton CA vs New Rochelle NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Fullerton, CA

California · Population: 141,278

  • Median HH Income$104,219
  • Median Home Price$1,047,700
  • Unemployment6.5%
  • Bachelor's+43.6%

New Rochelle, NY

New York · Population: 48,198

  • Median HH Income$48,535
  • Median Home Price$920,484
  • Unemployment9.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Fullerton
141,278
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
48,198
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Fullerton
N/A
New Rochelle
N/A
Median Age
Fullerton
36.1
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
40.7
Foreign Born
Fullerton
28.9%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
4.6%
White
Fullerton
43.0%
New Rochelle
66.1%
New Rochelle +
Black
Fullerton
2.1%
New Rochelle
17.8%
New Rochelle +
Asian
Fullerton
24.5%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
2.3%
Hispanic
Fullerton
39.6%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
8.0%
Spanish at Home
Fullerton
N/A
New Rochelle
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Fullerton
$104,219
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
$48,535
Per Capita Income
Fullerton
$48,061
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
$30,033
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Fullerton
$77,230
New Rochelle
$77,425
New Rochelle +
Unemployment Rate
Fullerton
6.5%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
9.7%
Poverty Rate
Fullerton
12.2%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
23.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Fullerton
43.6%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
22.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Fullerton
$1,047,700
New Rochelle
$920,484
New Rochelle +
Homeownership Rate
Fullerton
51.5%
New Rochelle
57.5%
New Rochelle +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fullerton
503
New Rochelle
434
New Rochelle +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fullerton
2388
New Rochelle
1736
New Rochelle +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Fullerton
23.9%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
26.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Fullerton
10.9%
New Rochelle
10.6%
New Rochelle +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Fullerton
16.8%
New Rochelle
13.8%
New Rochelle +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Fullerton
10.2%
New Rochelle
9.5%
New Rochelle +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Fullerton
15.0%
New Rochelle
14.9%
New Rochelle +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Fullerton
9.2%
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
9.3%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fullerton
65.1°F
New Rochelle
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fullerton
13.9 in
New Rochelle
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Fullerton
7.9 µg/m³
Fullerton +
New Rochelle
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Fullerton
75.0%
New Rochelle
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Fullerton
32.5 min
New Rochelle
20.0 min
New Rochelle +

Which City is Right for You?

Fullerton leads in median household income at $104,219, while new Rochelle offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $920,484. On public safety, New Rochelle is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Fullerton. Fullerton has a lower unemployment rate at 6.5%, and Fullerton has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Fullerton scores better with a lower obesity rate of 23.9%.

Compare More Cities

About Fullerton & New Rochelle