City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

McFarland, CA

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

14,138
Residents
$51,801
Median income
$245,500
Median home
$1,483
Median rent (state)

McFarland - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, McFarland places in the 22nd percentile for household income and the 56th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

22nd
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
56th
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: McFarland, CA

14,138 people live in McFarland, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $51,801 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 24.9%. Typical homes in McFarland are valued around $245,500, and the median resident age is 26.7 years. About 4.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 54.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 76 residential building permits were authorized in McFarland (Building Boom), up 850% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. McFarland reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1199.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, below 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: 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 $1,483 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

14,138 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$51,801 /yr

Poverty 24.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does McFarland compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 22% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 56% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, McFarland ranks #99 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 McFarland'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.

22ndIncome percentile
56thSafety percentile

22nd percentile nationally for median household income · 56th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

McFarland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

McFarland'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
McFarland'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 McFarland's home value compares nationally

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

$245,500 45th percentile more affordable than 45% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. McFarland $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 - McFarland, CA McFarland, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not McFarland, 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 McFarland, CA median $51,801/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%
McFarland, 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 McFarland, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 4.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 24.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.6%

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

Population
14,138
Median Income
$51,801
Median Home Value
$245,500
Median Age
26.7
Poverty Rate
24.9%
Labor force participation
54.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
4.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1199.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
421.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
778.1
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,000 residents14,200 residents14,400 residents14,600 residents14,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,173 residents 14,709 residents ▲ +3.8%
McFarland's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
76
housing units authorized
Single-Family
76
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 8
2020 6
2021 2
2022 101
2023 98
2024 76

Permit volume increased 850% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
16.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.3%
Work from Home
3.9%

Based on 5,107 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 McFarland sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,483/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Grass Valley
14,126 people
Mill Valley
14,064 people
East Rancho Dominguez
14,219 people
Alamo
14,441 people
North Auburn
13,833 people
Livingston
14,450 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to McFarland's 14,138 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fergus Falls, MN
14,138 people
Braselton, GA
14,139 people
Lone Tree, CO
14,136 people
Circleville, OH
14,144 people
Chicago Ridge, IL
14,147 people
Southchase, FL
14,149 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to McFarland's $51,801 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hereford, TX
$51,799 median income
Oak Hill, WV
$51,799 median income
Paris, IL
$51,798 median income
Castalia, OH
$51,798 median income
Rose Bud, AR
$51,797 median income
Moran, KS
$51,797 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - McFarland, 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 McFarland, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 31.9% 24.2% 41.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 89.6% White 31.9% Black or African American 1.1% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 24.2% Two or more races 41.0% 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 McFarland 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
McFarland (this city) 14,138 $51,801
Grass Valley 14,126 $48,850
Mill Valley 14,064 $208,466
East Rancho Dominguez 14,219 $67,645
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about McFarland, CA?

What is the population of McFarland, CA? +

The population of McFarland, CA stands at 14,138 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

McFarland households earn a median of $51,801 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in McFarland? +

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

McFarland has a total crime rate of 1199.3 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 McFarland, CA? +

McFarland's median home value sits at $245,500, 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.