Get to know Fountain Valley, CA

The middle-class suburb of Fountain Valley is a bedroom community in Orange County.  The area was inhabited by the Tongva people until Manuel Nieto was granted the land for Rancho Los Nietos.  The United States subsequently took control of the land following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.  The city was incorporated in 1957.  It had been called Talbert, but was named Fountain Valley to reflect the high water table and artesian wells in the area.  Canals were built to utilize the land for agriculture until housing tracts began to overtake the land in the 1960’s.  The city has a high percentage of Asian Americans, many of whom were Vietnamese refugees who immigrated to the area following the 1975 Fall of Saigon.  While many residents commute to work outside the city, Fountain Valley has seen an increase in commercial activity in recent years.  The largest employers are the Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center and the Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center.  Famous residents have included Michelle Pfeiffer and Keri Russell.

Quick Facts

Population: 56,696

Median Household Income: $82,367

Median Property Value: $614,100