City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Atascadero, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Atascadero - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

29,735
Residents
$88,830
Median income
$673,400
Median home
$2,512
Median rent (state)

Atascadero - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Atascadero lands in the 70th percentile for household income and the 58th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
92nd
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
58th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Atascadero, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 29,735 residents in Atascadero, a small city within California. The typical household in Atascadero brings in $88,830 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.4%. Typical homes in Atascadero are valued around $673,400, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. Educational attainment runs 30.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 109 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 54% from five years earlier. Atascadero reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1148.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,512 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Workers in Atascadero report an average commute of 19.2 minutes, with 76.2% driving alone and 12.4% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

29,735 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$88,830 /yr

Poverty 7.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Atascadero compare to other US cities?

Where Atascadero sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 92% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 58% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Atascadero ranks #86 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Atascadero against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of California's city distribution

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Atascadero ranks #469 - the 65th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Atascadero only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#643 of 1,338
52nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#645 of 1,458
54th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#469 of 1,343
65th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#650 of 1,450
55th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#619 of 1,458
57th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

70thIncome percentile
58thSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 58th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Atascadero's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Atascadero's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
Atascadero's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Atascadero's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$673,400 8th percentile more affordable than 8% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Atascadero $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Atascadero, CA Atascadero, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Atascadero, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Atascadero, CA median $88,830/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Atascadero, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Atascadero, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
29,735
Median Income
$88,830
Median Home Value
$673,400
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Labor force participation
61.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1148.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
178.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
970.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
29,400 residents29,500 residents29,600 residents29,700 residents29,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,746 residents 29,464 residents ▼ -0.9%
Atascadero's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
109
housing units authorized
Single-Family
29
detached homes
Multifamily
80
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 71
2020 44
2021 127
2022 61
2023 117
2024 109

Permit volume increased 54% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
7.2%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
12.4%

Based on 14,663 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Atascadero sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,512/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Monterey
29,772 people
San Carlos
29,797 people
San Lorenzo
29,453 people
Eastern Goleta Valley
29,411 people
Suisun City
29,205 people
East Palo Alto
29,143 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Atascadero's 29,735 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rahway, NJ
29,748 people
Orchards, WA
29,716 people
Galesburg, IL
29,653 people
Hobart, IN
29,646 people
Schererville, IN
29,627 people
Gloucester, MA
29,862 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Atascadero's $88,830 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Savoy, IL
$88,828 median income
Corbin City, NJ
$88,839 median income
La Crosse, FL
$88,819 median income
Callicoon, NY
$88,819 median income
Kitty Hawk, NC
$88,811 median income
Paloma Creek, TX
$88,850 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Atascadero, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Atascadero, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.2% 13.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 23.1% White 75.2% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 4.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.4% Two or more races 13.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Atascadero compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Atascadero (this city) 29,735 $88,830
Monterey 29,772 $104,110
San Carlos 29,797 $233,333
San Lorenzo 29,453 $110,495
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Atascadero, CA?

What is the population of Atascadero, CA? +

The population of Atascadero, CA stands at 29,735 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Atascadero, CA? +

Median annual household income in Atascadero runs $88,830, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Atascadero? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Atascadero; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Atascadero, CA safe? +

Atascadero has a total crime rate of 1148.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Atascadero, CA? +

A typical home in Atascadero is worth $673,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.