Census-designated place · California

North Fork, California

North Fork, census-designated place, in Madera County, California. North Fork had 3,250 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,999 (±492). GEOID 0651868.

Residents, 2020 Census

3,250

Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,999 ±492

Median household income

$71,619

±$8,780 (90% margin)
California: $99,122

Median home value

$382,600

±$50,687 (90% margin)
California: $734,700

Median gross rent

$1,399

±$172 (90% margin)
California: $2,036

Where is North Fork and what county is it in?

North Fork is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Madera County, California. It covers 32.2 square miles of land, 101 residents per square mile in 2020.

North Fork is in the Fresno, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

North Fork (marked with a dot) in Madera County, California. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in North Fork, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 3,250 residents in North Fork, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,999 (±492).

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; North Fork is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure North ForkMadera CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Total population 2,999 ±492 160,940 39,287,377 –
Households 1,233 ±179 45,379 13,548,091 –
Average household size 2.43 ±0.23 3.41 2.84 –
Housing units 1,581 ±224 51,015 14,644,735 –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in North Fork?

The median resident of North Fork is 60.7 years old; 13.9% are under 18 and 40.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.4%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 9.4%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure North ForkMadera CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median age 60.7 ±4.1 34.6 37.9 –
Under 18 years 13.9% ±3.5 pts 27.1% 22.0% –
65 years and over 40.6% ±6.3 pts 14.4% 15.7% –
Male 47.3% ±5.0 pts 49.1% 49.9% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% ±3.0 pts 60.9% 40.2% –
White alone, not Hispanic 76.4% ±6.2 pts 29.9% 33.8% –
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.1 pts 2.4% 5.2% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.6% ±0.9 pts 2.4% 15.3% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 9.4% ±4.8 pts 0.4% 0.3% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.6% ±1.1 pts 0.1% 0.3% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 7.4% ±3.9 pts 3.4% 4.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.4 pts 0.4% 0.6% –
Born outside the United States 3.0% ±2.0 pts 20.1% 27.0% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 6.4% ±3.9 pts 45.7% 44.4% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 11.2% ±4.0 pts 4.7% 4.3% –
With a disability 21.4% ±7.6 pts 14.2% 11.6% –
No health insurance coverage 2.3% ±2.1 pts 7.4% 6.6% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 94.9% ±4.1 pts 73.1% 84.7% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 24.3% ±8.8 pts 17.9% 37.1% –
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 8.5% ±4.0 pts 6.2% 14.4% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 91.3% ±6.5 pts 89.2% 89.2% –
Moved from another state in the past year 0.0% ±1.4 pts 0.6% 1.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in North Fork earn?

Half of North Fork's 1,233 households earn less than $71,619 a year (±$8,780), against $76,627 in Madera County and $99,122 in California. 15.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure North ForkMadera CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $71,619 ±$8,780 $76,627 $99,122 –
Mean household income $90,077 ±$13,594 $100,809 $140,436 –
Per capita income $38,763 ±$5,922 $30,077 $49,513 –
People below the poverty line 15.1% ±7.6 pts 19.2% 12.0% –
Children under 18 below the poverty line 14.4% ±18.4 pts 27.1% 15.0% –
Households receiving SNAP 12.9% ±8.3 pts 21.7% 12.4% –
Households with a computer 98.8% ±1.6 pts 94.8% 96.9% –
Households with a broadband subscription 97.4% ±2.2 pts 91.0% 93.5% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in North Fork?

Owners occupy 89.3% of North Fork's occupied homes and renters 10.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $382,600 by its owner (±$50,687). The median renter pays $1,399 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure North ForkMadera CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $382,600 ±$50,687 $393,200 $734,700 –
Median gross rent $1,399 ±$172 $1,390 $2,036 –
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 30.3% ±24.7 pts 47.2% 46.0% –
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $2,516 ±$697 $2,052 $2,946 –
Owner-occupied homes 89.3% ±6.8 pts 67.5% 55.9% –
Renter-occupied homes 10.7% ±6.8 pts 32.5% 44.1% –
Housing units 1,581 ±224 51,015 14,644,735 –
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±3.8 pts 1.4% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 34.0% ±40.6 pts 3.5% 4.2% –
Single-family detached homes 72.4% ±8.8 pts 80.0% 57.0% –
Mobile homes 27.6% ±8.8 pts 6.1% 3.5% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±2.6 pts 2.6% 1.3% –
Built 2010 to 2019 1.3% ±1.9 pts 7.2% 6.5% –
Built 1939 or earlier 3.5% ±1.9 pts 3.1% 8.9% –
Households with no vehicle 1.0% ±1.0 pts 5.0% 7.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How do people in North Fork work and get to work?

66.5% of North Fork's workers drive alone and 26.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.7 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure North ForkMadera CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 43.4% ±6.8 pts 56.4% 63.8% –
Unemployment rate 11.6% ±11.6 pts 10.1% 6.6% –
Drove alone to work 66.5% ±12.1 pts 71.8% 65.7% –
Carpooled 5.6% ±4.5 pts 11.6% 9.5% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±4.2 pts 0.3% 2.9% –
Walked 0.0% ±4.2 pts 1.6% 2.4% –
Worked from home 26.8% ±10.7 pts 9.7% 17.2% –
Mean travel time to work 30.7 min ±6.0 27.9 min 28.7 min –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in North Fork?

No census tract lies mostly in North Fork; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in North Fork, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in North Fork
Tract 1.02Madera County4,837 $92,417 $508,40022%
Tract 1.11Madera County2,497 $77,216 $351,10023%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in North Fork) · Census block assignment files

How does North Fork compare with other places in California?

North Fork ranks 776th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

North Fork's rank in California (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)794th1,076
Residents per square mile1,046th1,077
Median household income776th1,037
Per capita income620th1,073
Median home value790th1,054
Median gross rent755th987
Poverty rate274th836
Bachelor's degree or higher618th988
Median age44th1,075
Owner-occupied share104th1,064
Work from home166th822
Travel time to work347th1,069

North Fork's figures with every place in California (CSV)

Every place in California, sortable · Compare North Fork with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for North Fork?

18 of the 57 figures for North Fork on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for North Fork are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.