Jobs, pay and daily life in Fresno, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Fresno is a city in California with 545,970 residents. The median household earns $70,991 a year and the median rent is $1,421 a month, which is 24.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Fresno, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 476,890 jobs.
How Fresno compares. Among the 145 places in California, Fresno is #5 by population, #3 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #4 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #137 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Fresno County, is #37 of 58 counties for average pay ($57,904).
Fresno has 545,970 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.4% of the population of California. It covers 116 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 4,710 people per square mile. The median age is 32.8, 13% younger than the state median (32.8 against 37.9).
The median gross rent is $1,421 a month (rent plus utilities), 30% below the state median ($1,421 against $2,036). Over a year that is 24.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $374,800, which is 5.3 times the median household income ($70,991); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 50.1% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (50.1% against 55.9%).
The Fresno, CA metropolitan area has 476,890 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,910 a year, 8% below the national median ($46,910 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (49,960 jobs, median $49,100); healthcare support (45,050 jobs, median $34,320); transportation and material moving (44,070 jobs, median $42,600). The area is most specialised in farming, fishing, and forestry (24.2 times) and healthcare support (1.9 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($114,450) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($106,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Fresno County was 7.4%. 62.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fresno County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.1% drive alone, 1.2% use public transit, 1.5% walk, 10.9% work from home. 7.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 60% below the state average (7.8% against 19.4%).
25.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 31% below the state share (25.5% against 37.1%). 19.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 28% below the state share (19.3% against 27.0%). The poverty rate is 20.1%, 67% above the state rate (20.1% against 12.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 85°F (29.7°C), and the coolest is Dec at 49°F (9.2°C). About 406 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (79 mm) and Aug the driest (1 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Clovis (7 miles, rent 26% higher); Visalia (41 miles, rent 5% higher); Merced (52 miles, similar rent); Modesto (89 miles, rent 19% higher). Rent differences are against Fresno; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in California (1,708) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guideFresno CountyCalifornia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,708 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 33,580 | 2.54 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $36,050 | -4% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 28,570 | 35.08 | $34,610 | $34,320 | $38,360 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 12,330 | 1.04 | $39,480 | $35,070 | $45,830 | +27% |
| Registered Nurses | 11,030 | 1.06 | $125,420 | $89,890 | $167,160 | +29% |
| Cashiers | 9,780 | 1.03 | $35,270 | $34,320 | $46,620 | +7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 9,290 | 0.78 | $36,460 | $34,320 | $47,810 | +3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 8,850 | 1.02 | $39,130 | $34,750 | $48,450 | +5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 8,710 | 1.15 | $46,070 | $34,930 | $63,810 | +2% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 8,670 | 5.39 | $54,890 | $43,500 | $71,210 | +32% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 8,170 | 1.29 | $55,740 | $36,620 | $76,580 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 8,050 | 0.89 | $39,310 | $34,320 | $49,900 | -2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 6,800 | 0.63 | $101,010 | $56,820 | $239,420 | -5% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 6,530 | 1.50 | $45,340 | $36,710 | $57,240 | +23% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 5,770 | 0.85 | $37,980 | $34,320 | $55,700 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 5,610 | 1.32 | $78,800 | $59,840 | $133,730 | +23% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 4,550 | 0.57 | $46,070 | $37,310 | $77,330 | +3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 4,340 | 0.62 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $65,680 | -3% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 4,320 | 2.51 | $35,060 | $34,320 | $44,430 | -3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4,310 | 1.02 | $54,170 | $39,090 | $72,780 | +7% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 3,910 | 1.99 | $39,620 | $34,320 | $48,350 | +28% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 700 | 1.12 | $188,930 | $92,400 | $402,570 | -12% |
| Pharmacists | 890 | 0.90 | $169,160 | $128,300 | $211,110 | +20% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 570 | 0.57 | $166,570 | $129,300 | $212,320 | +26% |
| Lawyers | 1,570 | 0.68 | $162,680 | $75,370 | $284,670 | +2% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 650 | 0.31 | $148,650 | $105,410 | $228,200 | -15% |
| Financial Managers | 1,370 | 0.53 | $137,650 | $85,970 | $256,400 | -17% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,750 | 0.95 | $136,130 | $72,730 | $246,820 | +10% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 1,190 | 1.18 | $134,720 | $83,500 | $179,080 | +27% |
| Software Developers | 740 | 0.14 | $129,060 | $78,060 | $175,410 | -5% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,070 | 0.56 | $128,510 | $79,480 | $208,630 | -9% |
| Registered Nurses | 11,030 | 1.06 | $125,420 | $89,890 | $167,160 | +29% |
| Physical Therapists | 620 | 0.76 | $123,820 | $96,250 | $142,770 | +20% |
| Civil Engineers | 1,250 | 1.11 | $119,720 | $74,870 | $164,670 | +19% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 550 | 0.73 | $118,590 | $75,930 | $200,960 | -6% |
| Construction Managers | 910 | 0.78 | $118,500 | $75,030 | $176,020 | +3% |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 820 | 1.45 | $110,960 | $88,940 | $186,370 | +13% |
| Instructional Coordinators | 620 | 0.89 | $104,260 | $46,840 | $132,880 | +35% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 850 | 0.45 | $104,250 | $65,140 | $118,420 | +62% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 840 | 1.04 | $103,790 | $68,630 | $178,680 | -9% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 1,210 | 1.12 | $101,280 | $48,120 | $129,240 | +57% |
These figures are for the whole Fresno, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,910 (US $50,980); unemployment 7.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.3% |
| Retail trade | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.5% |
| Public administration | 6.3% |
| Manufacturing | 6.3% |
| Construction | 6.0% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 1.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fresno lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno County | 1,016,725 | $64,217 million | $63,161 | 427,076 | 44,409 | $57,904 | +2.0% | 7.4% | 478,446 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 80,697 | 23.1% | $58,598 | 1.32 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 41,983 | 12.0% | $41,405 | 12.15 |
| Retail trade | 39,302 | 11.2% | $41,143 | 0.92 |
| Accommodation and food services | 32,329 | 9.2% | $28,252 | 0.83 |
| Manufacturing | 26,218 | 7.5% | $60,837 | 0.75 |
| Construction | 22,697 | 6.5% | $76,499 | 1.01 |
| Administrative and waste services | 18,171 | 5.2% | $44,649 | 0.72 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16,918 | 4.8% | $51,438 | 0.94 |
| Wholesale trade | 16,206 | 4.6% | $77,166 | 0.96 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13,493 | 3.9% | $45,028 | 1.05 |
| Professional and technical services | 11,536 | 3.3% | $78,677 | 0.39 |
| Finance and insurance | 6,665 | 1.9% | $94,626 | 0.38 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 5,086 | 1.5% | $27,367 | 0.71 |
| Real estate and rental | 5,040 | 1.4% | $57,204 | 0.76 |
| Educational services | 4,786 | 1.4% | $40,528 | 0.54 |
| Management of companies | 3,162 | 0.9% | $90,759 | 0.44 |
| Utilities | 2,981 | 0.9% | $153,288 | 1.84 |
| Information | 2,456 | 0.7% | $85,313 | 0.31 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 229 | 0.1% | $94,871 | 0.14 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.1% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 1.5% |
| Work from home | 10.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,991 |
| Income per person | $32,519 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,421 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.0% |
| Median home value | $374,800 |
| Homeowners | 50.1% |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 102.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,910 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 80.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.5% |
| Born abroad | 19.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.7 | 49 | 73 |
| Feb | 10.6 | 51 | 67 |
| Mar | 13.1 | 56 | 64 |
| Apr | 15.6 | 60 | 38 |
| May | 20.4 | 69 | 17 |
| Jun | 25.9 | 79 | 4 |
| Jul | 29.7 | 85 | 2 |
| Aug | 28.4 | 83 | 1 |
| Sep | 25.6 | 78 | 2 |
| Oct | 19.7 | 67 | 21 |
| Nov | 13.6 | 56 | 38 |
| Dec | 9.2 | 49 | 79 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clovis | CA | 7 mi | 124,725 | $99,241 | $1,792 |
| Visalia | CA | 41 mi | 143,939 | $81,989 | $1,490 |
| Merced | CA | 52 mi | 91,953 | $63,122 | $1,393 |
| Modesto | CA | 89 mi | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| Gilroy | CA | 100 mi | 59,004 | $133,107 | $2,301 |
| Salinas | CA | 102 mi | 161,761 | $91,908 | $1,991 |
| Morgan Hill | CA | 105 mi | 45,425 | $163,920 | $2,474 |
| Manteca | CA | 105 mi | 89,043 | $97,055 | $2,065 |
| Bakersfield | CA | 107 mi | 411,986 | $80,540 | $1,472 |
| Tracy | CA | 112 mi | 96,966 | $121,119 | $2,478 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
545,970 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,421 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.0% of the median household income.
$70,991 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
7.4% (BLS county, Fresno County (latest month 2026M09)).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.