Photo: JMora24 · CC BY-SA 4.0How is Tulare run?
Tulare’s city government spent $79.4 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $1,188 per resident. Water and other utilities ($10.7 million) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Tulare is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
About $1,188 per resident a year, or $3.25 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 32%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
$1,188 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities
Tulare’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,188 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 101 California cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,270, and the middle half spent $889–$1,772. Tulare spent less than 54% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($25.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
California cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Tulare itself left out).
No trend yet
Tulare reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,366 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.72% of the home’s value, vs 0.70% across California.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Tulare’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Tulare’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Tulare →
Who’s in charge in Tulare
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Tulare’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on tulare.ca.gov ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 207 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (66,797).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Tulare Joint Union High School District
Tulare’s high school district, shared with Visalia. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $19,872 per pupil, $10,697 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
California districts overall: 36% local, 52% state, 11% federal.
Tulare City Elementary School District · $17,502 per pupil
Palo Verde Union Elementary School District · $18,731 per pupil
Liberty Elementary School District · $10,657 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Tulare’s votes are counted by county
California reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Tulare alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Tulare County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican59.2%81,854 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat38.5%53,221 votesOthers: 2.3% (3,196 votes).
Most votes in Tulare County: Donald J Trump
California: Harris 58.5%, Trump 38.3%
100% of Tulare lies in Tulare County. Every 2024 race in Tulare County is on the county’s page.
Tulare County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Tulare.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: tulare.ca.gov ↗
- 2California AssemblyState representatives
- 3California SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseSplit between districts
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of California
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Tulare compares with the towns next door
Tulare spent $1,188 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Tulare | $1,188 | $2,366 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Tulare’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Tulare’s government
How much does Tulare spend per resident?
About $1,188 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,188 was less than 54% of 101 California cities of 50,000–99,999 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Tulare?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,366 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.72% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.70% across California. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see tulare.ca.gov.
Who runs Tulare’s government?
See tulare.ca.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Tulare yet.
How did Tulare vote in 2024?
California counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Tulare alone. Tulare County, where 100% of Tulare lies, voted Trump 59.2%, Harris 38.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Tulare?
323 full-time and 73 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2.4M (about $29.1M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Tulare in the state legislature?
Tulare is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The California Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Tulare’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →