City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Ceres, CA

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

48,918
Residents
$76,862
Median income
$397,200
Median home
$1,758
Median rent (state)

Ceres - the verdict

Ceres ranks in the 58th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

58th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
27th
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: Ceres, CA

California's Ceres is a small city, with 48,918 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Ceres brings in $76,862 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Home values in Ceres run a median of $397,200, and the median resident age is 32.7 years. Educational attainment runs 13.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 54.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 95% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2245.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,758 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Ceres workers runs 33.0 minutes, with 82.7% driving alone and 4.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

48,918 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$76,862 /yr

Poverty 11.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Ceres compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 58% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% 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: Ceres ranks #283 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 Ceres'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.

58thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

58th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ceres's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ceres'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 37 Avg. percentile National median
Ceres'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 Ceres's home value compares nationally

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

$397,200 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ceres $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 - Ceres, CA Ceres, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ceres, 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 Ceres, CA median $76,862/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%
Ceres, 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 Ceres, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.9%

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

Population
48,918
Median Income
$76,862
Median Home Value
$397,200
Median Age
32.7
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
54.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2245.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
397.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1848.0
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
21
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
48,500 residents49,000 residents49,500 residents50,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 49,707 residents 48,982 residents ▼ -1.5%
Ceres's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 61
2020 5
2021 17
2022 19
2023 13
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 95% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
33.0 minutes
Drive Alone
82.7%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
0.7%

Based on 19,235 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 Ceres sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,758/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

Antelope
49,080 people
Azusa
49,318 people
Poway
48,515 people
Cerritos
48,340 people
Cypress
49,531 people
Florin
49,536 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ceres's 48,918 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

University CDP (Hillsborough County), FL
48,868 people
Euclid, OH
48,991 people
Titusville, FL
49,004 people
Biloxi, MS
49,011 people
Portage, MI
49,015 people
Stillwater, OK
48,818 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ceres's $76,862 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Holiday Lake, IA
$76,863 median income
Plaquemine, LA
$76,857 median income
Columbus, IN
$76,856 median income
Irondequoit, NY
$76,871 median income
Abernathy, TX
$76,850 median income
Springtown, AR
$76,875 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ceres, 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 Ceres, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.9% 9.7% 17.1% 34.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 65.6% White 36.9% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 9.7% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 17.1% Two or more races 34.0% 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 Ceres 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
Ceres (this city) 48,918 $76,862
Antelope 49,080 $95,102
Azusa 49,318 $85,727
Poway 48,515 $143,825
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ceres, CA?

What is the population of Ceres, CA? +

Ceres, CA counts 48,918 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Ceres is $76,862 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ceres? +

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

Ceres has a total crime rate of 2245.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Ceres, CA? +

A typical home in Ceres is worth $397,200, 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 Editorial

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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.