City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Grover Beach, CA

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

12,687
Residents
$82,534
Median income
$691,900
Median home
$2,512
Median rent (state)

Grover Beach - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Grover Beach lands in the 64th percentile for household income and the 46th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

64th
percentile, household income
93rd
percentile, home value
93rd
percentile, median rent
46th
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: Grover Beach, CA

California's Grover Beach is a small town, with 12,687 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Grover Beach households earn a median of $82,534 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.4%. Typical homes in Grover Beach are valued around $691,900, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. 26.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 145 residential building permits were authorized in Grover Beach (Building Boom), up 190% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Grover Beach reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1480.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,512 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 95.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

12,687 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$82,534 /yr

Poverty 10.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Grover Beach compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 93% pricier than other cities
Median rent 93% pricier than other cities
Safety 46% 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: Grover Beach ranks #137 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 Grover Beach'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.

64thIncome percentile
46thSafety percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income · 46th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Grover Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Grover Beach'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Grover Beach'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 Grover Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$691,900 7th percentile more affordable than 7% 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%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Grover Beach $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 - Grover Beach, CA Grover Beach, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Grover Beach, 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 Grover Beach, CA median $82,534/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%
Grover Beach, 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 Grover Beach, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.6%

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

Population
12,687
Median Income
$82,534
Median Home Value
$691,900
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
10.4%
Labor force participation
63.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1480.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
320.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1160.4
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,400 residents12,500 residents12,600 residents12,700 residents12,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,667 residents 12,456 residents ▼ -1.7%
Grover Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
145
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
127
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 50
2020 9
2021 22
2022 10
2023 14
2024 145

Permit volume increased 190% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.6%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
13.3%
Other
1.3%

Based on 6,503 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 Grover Beach 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

Marysville
12,703 people
San Anselmo
12,711 people
Diamond Springs
12,642 people
Emeryville
12,756 people
Kingsburg
12,589 people
Lindsay
12,572 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Grover Beach's 12,687 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tucson Estates, AZ
12,687 people
Jerome, ID
12,689 people
Edgewood, WA
12,683 people
Stony Point, NY
12,694 people
Kelso, WA
12,697 people
Oakland, NJ
12,700 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Grover Beach's $82,534 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Warfield, KY
$82,530 median income
Santa Clara, OR
$82,530 median income
Arabi, GA
$82,540 median income
Ontario, IN
$82,557 median income
Durant, IA
$82,563 median income
Bogart, GA
$82,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Grover Beach, 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 Grover Beach, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 65.4% 7.3% 22.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 37.9% White 65.4% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 2.1% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 22.6% 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 Grover Beach 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
Grover Beach (this city) 12,687 $82,534
Marysville 12,703 $58,150
San Anselmo 12,711 $170,457
Diamond Springs 12,642 $83,288
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Grover Beach, CA?

What is the population of Grover Beach, CA? +

12,687 people live in Grover Beach, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Grover Beach, CA? +

The median household income in Grover Beach is $82,534 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Grover Beach? +

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

Grover Beach has a total crime rate of 1480.5 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 Grover Beach, CA? +

A typical home in Grover Beach is worth $691,900, 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.