City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Atwater, CA

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

32,013
Residents
$63,945
Median income
$340,600
Median home
$1,503
Median rent (state)

Atwater - the verdict

Atwater ranks in the 41st percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

41st
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
17th
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: Atwater, CA

California's Atwater is a small city, with 32,013 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Atwater households earn a median of $63,945 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 17.9%. Atwater's housing stock carries a median value of $340,600, and the median resident age is 33.9 years. About 13.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 233% from five years earlier. Atwater's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2904.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,503 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

32,013 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$63,945 /yr

Poverty 17.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Atwater compare to other US cities?

Atwater measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% 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: Atwater ranks #353 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Atwater's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

41stIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Atwater's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Atwater'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 31 Avg. percentile National median
Atwater'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 Atwater's home value compares nationally

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

$340,600 29th percentile more affordable than 29% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Atwater $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 - Atwater, CA Atwater, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Atwater, 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 Atwater, CA median $63,945/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%
Atwater, 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 Atwater, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.3%

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

Population
32,013
Median Income
$63,945
Median Home Value
$340,600
Median Age
33.9
Poverty Rate
17.9%
Labor force participation
54.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2904.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
710.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2193.6
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
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,800 residents31,900 residents32,000 residents32,100 residents32,200 residents32,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 31,914 residents 32,133 residents ▲ +0.7%
Atwater's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 3
2021 77
2022 12
2023 20
2024 10

Permit volume increased 233% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
10.3%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
4.3%
Other
3.5%

Based on 12,887 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 Atwater sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,503/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Fair Oaks
32,030 people
Seaside
31,964 people
Beverly Hills
31,955 people
Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County)
32,215 people
San Pablo
31,771 people
Fallbrook
32,467 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Atwater's 32,013 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cornelius, NC
32,009 people
North Olmsted, OH
32,031 people
West Odessa, TX
31,985 people
Juneau city and, AK
31,969 people
Needham, MA
32,059 people
Duluth, GA
31,958 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Atwater's $63,945 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mauricetown, NJ
$63,946 median income
Mechanicsville, PA
$63,942 median income
Goldthwaite, TX
$63,942 median income
Pine Ridge, PA
$63,949 median income
Great Falls, MT
$63,934 median income
Channel Lake, IL
$63,958 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Atwater, 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 Atwater, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 40.1% 37.1% 11.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 57.5% White 40.1% Black or African American 3.5% Asian 5.6% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 1.0% Some other race 37.1% Two or more races 11.4% 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 Atwater 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
Atwater (this city) 32,013 $63,945
Fair Oaks 32,030 $111,332
Seaside 31,964 $82,303
Beverly Hills 31,955 $127,979
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Atwater, CA?

What is the population of Atwater, CA? +

The population of Atwater, CA stands at 32,013 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Atwater, the typical household earns $63,945 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Atwater? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Atwater; 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 Atwater, CA safe? +

Atwater has a total crime rate of 2904.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Atwater, CA? +

The median home value in Atwater is $340,600, 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.