City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Coalinga, CA

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

17,352
Residents
$78,014
Median income
$254,600
Median home
$1,469
Median rent (state)

Coalinga - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Coalinga places in the 59th percentile for household income and the 68th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
68th
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: Coalinga, CA

California's Coalinga is a small town, with 17,352 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Coalinga households earn a median of $78,014 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.9%. Coalinga's housing stock carries a median value of $254,600, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. About 12.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 36.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 99% from five years earlier. Coalinga reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 902.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 65.9°F with 8.2 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,469 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 20.1 minutes, with 81.6% driving alone and 7.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

17,352 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$78,014 /yr

Poverty 13.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Coalinga compare to other US cities?

Here's how Coalinga stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 68% 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: Coalinga ranks #45 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 Coalinga'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.

59thIncome percentile
68thSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 68th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Coalinga's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Coalinga'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 57 Avg. percentile National median
Coalinga'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 Coalinga's home value compares nationally

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

$254,600 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Coalinga $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 - Coalinga, CA Coalinga, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Coalinga, 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 Coalinga, CA median $78,014/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%
Coalinga, 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 Coalinga, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 36.9%

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

Population
17,352
Median Income
$78,014
Median Home Value
$254,600
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Labor force participation
36.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
902.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
491.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
410.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.9°F
Annual Precipitation
8.2"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
16,500 residents17,000 residents17,500 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,700 residents 17,281 residents ▼ -2.4%
Coalinga's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

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

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 70
2020 0
2021 0
2022 156
2023 0
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 99% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.1 minutes
Drive Alone
81.6%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
7.1%

Based on 4,911 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 Coalinga sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,469/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Laguna Woods
17,342 people
Rancho Mirage
17,375 people
Cameron Park
17,283 people
Nipomo
17,266 people
South San Jose Hills
17,451 people
McKinleyville
17,152 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Coalinga's 17,352 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Firestone, CO
17,353 people
New Castle, IN
17,356 people
Royse City, TX
17,357 people
Jenison, MI
17,334 people
Bethpage, NY
17,334 people
El Dorado, AR
17,382 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Coalinga's $78,014 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Burlington, NJ
$78,009 median income
Sublimity, OR
$78,007 median income
New Baltimore, PA
$78,000 median income
Dupont, PA
$78,036 median income
Whitmore Lake, MI
$78,038 median income
Wells, NY
$78,047 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Coalinga, 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 Coalinga, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.7% 33.5% 19.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 65.0% White 38.7% Black or African American 4.4% Asian 2.9% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.6% Some other race 33.5% Two or more races 19.1% 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 Coalinga 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
Coalinga (this city) 17,352 $78,014
Laguna Woods 17,342 $60,235
Rancho Mirage 17,375 $109,943
Cameron Park 17,283 $97,786
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Coalinga, CA?

What is the population of Coalinga, CA? +

17,352 people live in Coalinga, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Coalinga, the typical household earns $78,014 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Coalinga? +

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

Coalinga has a total crime rate of 902.2 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 Coalinga, CA? +

Coalinga's median home value sits at $254,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Coalinga? +

Coalinga has an average annual temperature of 65.9°F, 8.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.