City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Placentia, CA

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

52,384
Residents
$110,575
Median income
$871,000
Median home
$3,236
Median rent (state)

Placentia - the verdict

Placentia ranks in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
36th
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: Placentia, CA

California's Placentia is a small city, with 52,384 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $110,575 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.2%. Home values in Placentia run a median of $871,000, and the median resident age is 38.0 years. About 43.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 69 residential building permits were authorized in Placentia (Construction Slowdown), down 69% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Placentia reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1823.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $3,236 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Placentia workers runs 25.2 minutes, with 71.7% driving alone and 13.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

52,384 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$110,575 /yr

Poverty 6.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Placentia compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% 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, Placentia ranks #201 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

Each percentile compares Placentia 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 Placentia toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Placentia ranks #138 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Placentia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#393 of 1,338
71st percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#138 of 1,458
82nd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#307 of 1,343
77th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#746 of 1,450
48th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#358 of 1,458
75th 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.

83rdIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Placentia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Placentia'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Placentia'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 Placentia's home value compares nationally

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

$871,000 4th percentile more affordable than 4% 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%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Placentia $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 - Placentia, CA Placentia, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Placentia, 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 Placentia, CA median $110,575/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%
Placentia, 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 Placentia, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 43.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.2%

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

Population
52,384
Median Income
$110,575
Median Home Value
$871,000
Median Age
38.0
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Labor force participation
62.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
43.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1823.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
357.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1466.3
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
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
51,000 residents52,000 residents53,000 residents54,000 residents55,000 residents56,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 52,662 residents 54,911 residents ▲ +4.3%
Placentia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
69
housing units authorized
Single-Family
69
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 222
2020 11
2021 480
2022 113
2023 83
2024 69

Permit volume decreased 69% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.2 minutes
Drive Alone
71.7%
Carpool
8.9%
Public Transit
1.6%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
13.9%
Other
2.4%

Based on 25,428 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 Placentia sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,236/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Paramount
52,546 people
Novato
52,689 people
Cathedral City
52,047 people
Watsonville
51,968 people
Lincoln
51,629 people
Palm Desert
51,551 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Placentia's 52,384 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Battle Creek, MI
52,392 people
Kyle, TX
52,439 people
Joplin, MO
52,218 people
Wheaton, MD
52,172 people
Kendale Lakes, FL
52,141 people
Grand Island, NE
52,761 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Placentia's $110,575 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Talahi Island, GA
$110,573 median income
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
$110,563 median income
Maine, WI
$110,592 median income
Bar Nunn, WY
$110,598 median income
Wellsville, UT
$110,543 median income
North Seekonk, MA
$110,541 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Placentia, 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 Placentia, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 48.9% 18.2% 9.9% 20.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 35.9% White 48.9% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 18.2% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 9.9% Two or more races 20.0% 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 Placentia 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
Placentia (this city) 52,384 $110,575
Paramount 52,546 $70,912
Novato 52,689 $112,193
Cathedral City 52,047 $67,031
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Placentia, CA?

What is the population of Placentia, CA? +

The population of Placentia, CA stands at 52,384 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Placentia, the typical household earns $110,575 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Placentia? +

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

Placentia has a total crime rate of 1823.8 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 Placentia, CA? +

The median home value in Placentia is $871,000, 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.