Agriculture defines Strathmore’s small-town charm
Strathmore’s quiet community is surrounded by farmland and fruit orchards, just 6 miles north of Porterville in the San Joaquin Valley. “It’s a small rural town with very affordable housing,” says Mike Bennett, a real estate agent with Home Realty & Land Co, who has over 20 years of experience. “The community and economy are both agriculture-based, with a very big diversification. We can produce anything you want.” In addition to the farms and residential properties, Strathmore has a small commercial area with local restaurants and businesses.
A selection of modest homes and farmhouses
Most homes in Strathmore are lined along residential streets and have grassy front lawns dotted with mature trees. Driveways and chain-link fences adorn many properties, and a handful have alleyway access. Minimal traditional single-story homes and bungalows with front porches are common. These properties were built between the 1920s and 1950s and cost around $275,000 to $360,000. Some have vinyl exteriors, while others feature stucco siding. Ranch-style homes from the 1950s to 1980s are another popular housing style, ranging in price from $325,000 to $525,000. Strathmore Mobile Home Park has a small community of manufactured homes from the 1980s.
Expanding out from Strathmore’s main roads, the surrounding farmland is also dotted with single-story homes. Traditional two-story farmhouses with front porches are rare to find on the market, though one sold in 2025 for $725,000. “Once you move outside of city limits, you get homes that are on one to 20 acres of land,” Bennett says. “That much acreage normally produces some kind of crop, or people use it for horses.”
Strathmore’s local retail and Porterville’s nearby commerce
Shopping and dining are limited in Strathmore. Commercial corridors along Orange Belt Drive and Avenue 196 have a handful of small businesses. Guadalajara Meat Market is a butcher shop and EZ Shop N Go is a small convenience store with groceries and made-to-order food. Local eateries include El Portal Restaurant, which serves traditional Mexican cuisine, and Poor Richard’s Pizza. “It’s a very small commercial area. Everyone either goes to Lindsay or Porterville for shopping,” Bennett says. Farther west on Avenue 196, past the highway exit, The Orange Works is a family-owned sandwich and ice cream shop known for its homemade orange ice cream.
About 5 miles south, Porterville Town Center has a Save Mart for groceries. Farther west on Henderson Avenue, there’s a large shopping center with national retailers and big-box stores like Target, Kohl’s and Bath and Body Works. Chain restaurants in the area include Panera Bread and McDonald’s.
Public schools with quality programs
Children can start their education at Strathmore Elementary School, which earns a D-plus grade from Niche. From there, students can attend Strathmore Middle School, which has yet to receive a Niche grade. The B-minus-rated Strathmore High School is part of the Porterville Unified School District and offers multiple career pathways, including its Academy of Business and Finance, Academy of Health Sciences and the Alternative Energy Related Occupations Academy. Another option for high school is the Harmony Magnet Academy, which is a charter school and has an A. “The magnet school is tremendous at getting kids focused on where they want to go after high school. And the community is very involved in the sports programs,” Bennett says.
Natural areas and parks are a short drive away
While Strathmore itself lacks an outlet for outdoor recreation, there are a handful of natural areas nearby. Success Lake is about 10 miles southeast of the town and has a marina with boat launches and kayak rentals. The Tule Campground sits along the water and has picnic areas throughout the grounds. Kincade Cove Wildlife Management Area is also nearby with multiple hiking trails through grasslands and meadows of wildflowers.
Porterville has its own selection of public parks that residents can visit. Veterans Park has a playground and skate park, while Murry Park is outfitted with two jungle gyms, a 9-hole disc golf course and a fishing pond. The Porterville City Pool is also in Murry Park.
Navigating in and around Strathmore by car or bus
Strathmore’s community is vehicle dependent, with Orange Belt Drive acting as the area’s main thoroughfare. Tulare County Reginal Transit Agency’s (TCRTA) bus services have a fixed route with stops along Orange Belt. California state Route 65, known as All America City Highway, travels north and south directly west of Strathmore. Roughly 52 miles south in Bakersfield, Meadows Field Airport offers commercial flights to major U.S. cities.
Hot weather and environmental risks
Tulare County is known to have high temperatures and seasonal heat waves, which create a risk of wildfires in Strathmore. According to FEMA’s National Risk Index, the area also has a relatively high risk of earthquakes, scoring higher than California’s average percentile.
