City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Hanford, CA

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

59,389
Residents
$73,544
Median income
$323,600
Median home
$1,469
Median rent (state)

Hanford - the verdict

Hanford ranks in the 54th percentile for household income and the 41st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
68th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
41st
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: Hanford, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 59,389 residents in Hanford, a small city within California. The typical household in Hanford brings in $73,544 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.8%. Typical homes in Hanford are valued around $323,600, and the median resident age is 32.5 years. About 17.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 51.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 422 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 80% from five years earlier. Hanford reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1636.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Hanford's yearly average temperature at 63.9°F with 8.5 inches of precipitation per year.

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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,469 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

59,389 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$73,544 /yr

Poverty 12.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Hanford compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 68% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities
Safety 41% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Hanford ranks #171 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Hanford near the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Hanford ranks #1,294 - the 9th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Hanford only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#871 of 1,338
35th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,294 of 1,458
9th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,020 of 1,343
24th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#371 of 1,450
74th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#956 of 1,458
34th 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.

54thIncome percentile
41stSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 41st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hanford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hanford'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 44 Avg. percentile National median
Hanford'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 Hanford's home value compares nationally

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

$323,600 32nd percentile more affordable than 32% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Hanford $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 - Hanford, CA Hanford, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hanford, 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 Hanford, CA median $73,544/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%
Hanford, 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 Hanford, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.6%

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

Population
59,389
Median Income
$73,544
Median Home Value
$323,600
Median Age
32.5
Poverty Rate
12.8%
Labor force participation
51.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1636.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
483.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1152.7
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
63.9°F
Annual Precipitation
8.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
29
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
59,000 residents60,000 residents61,000 residents62,000 residents63,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 59,542 residents 62,229 residents ▲ +4.5%
Hanford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
422
housing units authorized
Single-Family
326
detached homes
Multifamily
96
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 235
2020 163
2021 290
2022 291
2023 487
2024 422

Permit volume increased 80% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.4%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
6.2%
Other
1.6%

Based on 23,720 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 Hanford 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

Petaluma
59,321 people
Santee
59,485 people
Monterey Park
59,639 people
Gardena
59,765 people
Cupertino
58,886 people
Gilroy
58,561 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hanford's 59,389 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kokomo, IN
59,375 people
Des Plaines, IL
59,408 people
Blue Springs, MO
59,416 people
Mayagüez zona urbana, PR
59,427 people
North Miami, FL
59,429 people
Shoreline, WA
59,280 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hanford's $73,544 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Chester Center, CT
$73,542 median income
White Plains, GA
$73,542 median income
Glen Elder, KS
$73,542 median income
Wanchese, NC
$73,542 median income
White River Junction, VT
$73,546 median income
Liberty Center, OH
$73,548 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hanford, 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 Hanford, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.1% 17.0% 17.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 51.2% White 54.1% Black or African American 5.9% Asian 3.5% American Indian 1.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 17.0% Two or more races 17.6% 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 Hanford 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
Hanford (this city) 59,389 $73,544
Petaluma 59,321 $109,823
Santee 59,485 $105,613
Monterey Park 59,639 $77,605
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hanford, CA?

What is the population of Hanford, CA? +

The population of Hanford, CA stands at 59,389 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Hanford households earn a median of $73,544 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hanford? +

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

Hanford has a total crime rate of 1636.0 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 Hanford, CA? +

Hanford's median home value sits at $323,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Hanford? +

The average annual temperature in Hanford runs 63.9°F, 8.5 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

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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.