City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

National City, CA

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

55,960
Residents
$64,248
Median income
$580,900
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

National City - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, National City places in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
20th
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: National City, CA

California's National City is a small city, with 55,960 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $64,248 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.6%. Home values in National City run a median of $580,900, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 16.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 4 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 98% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2635.0 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $3,001 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 99.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

55,960 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$64,248 /yr

Poverty 12.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does National City compare to other US cities?

National City measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 20% 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: National City ranks #331 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 National City'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.

42ndIncome percentile
20thSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

National City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

National City'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 23 Avg. percentile National median
National City'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 National City's home value compares nationally

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

$580,900 12th percentile more affordable than 12% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. National City $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 - National City, CA National City, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not National City, 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 National City, CA median $64,248/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%
National City, 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 National City, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.2%

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

Population
55,960
Median Income
$64,248
Median Home Value
$580,900
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Labor force participation
57.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2635.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
695.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1939.4
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
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
56,000 residents58,000 residents60,000 residents62,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 61,454 residents 57,807 residents ▼ -5.9%
National City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 163
2020 305
2021 83
2022 134
2023 136
2024 4

Permit volume decreased 98% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.3%
Carpool
14.7%
Public Transit
3.8%
Walk
2.9%
Work from Home
6.2%
Other
2.1%

Based on 26,013 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 National City sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Fountain Valley
56,358 people
Arcadia
55,550 people
Highland
56,690 people
South Whittier
55,201 people
Hacienda Heights
54,956 people
Beaumont
54,817 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to National City's 55,960 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

DeSoto, TX
55,896 people
Berwyn, IL
55,888 people
Kingsport, TN
55,807 people
Port Arthur, TX
55,779 people
New Brunswick, NJ
55,744 people
Apopka, FL
56,202 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to National City's $64,248 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dagsboro, DE
$64,250 median income
Mason City, IL
$64,250 median income
Kingsville, MO
$64,250 median income
Flushing, OH
$64,250 median income
Huntsville, OH
$64,250 median income
Geronimo, OK
$64,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - National City, 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 National City, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 32.5% 16.9% 22.6% 21.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 65.8% White 32.5% Black or African American 4.4% Asian 16.9% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 22.6% Two or more races 21.7% 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 National City 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
National City (this city) 55,960 $64,248
Fountain Valley 56,358 $111,797
Arcadia 55,550 $116,142
Highland 56,690 $77,979
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about National City, CA?

What is the population of National City, CA? +

55,960 people live in National City, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in National City, CA? +

In National City, the typical household earns $64,248 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in National City? +

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

National City has a total crime rate of 2635.0 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 National City, CA? +

A typical home in National City is worth $580,900, 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 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.