City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Poway, CA

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

48,515
Residents
$143,825
Median income
$971,500
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

Poway - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Poway lands in the 93rd percentile for household income and the 76th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

93rd
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
76th
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: Poway, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 48,515 residents in Poway, a small city within California. Poway households earn a median of $143,825 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.7%. Typical homes in Poway are valued around $971,500, and the median resident age is 41.9 years. About 53.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 63 residential building permits were authorized in Poway (Slowing), down 15% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Poway reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 717.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $3,001 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.7 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

48,515 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$143,825 /yr

Poverty 2.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Poway compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 76% 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, Poway ranks #28 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 Poway'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.

93rdIncome percentile
76thSafety percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income · 76th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Poway's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Poway'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 57 Avg. percentile National median
Poway'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 Poway's home value compares nationally

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

$971,500 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% 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%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Poway $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 - Poway, CA Poway, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Poway, 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 Poway, CA median $143,825/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%
Poway, 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 Poway, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 53.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.3%

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

Population
48,515
Median Income
$143,825
Median Home Value
$971,500
Median Age
41.9
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Labor force participation
59.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
53.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
717.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
133.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
583.6
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
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
48,000 residents48,500 residents49,000 residents49,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 48,784 residents 49,180 residents ▲ +0.8%
Poway's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
63
housing units authorized
Single-Family
63
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 74
2020 76
2021 78
2022 258
2023 124
2024 63

Permit volume decreased 15% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.9%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
20.2%
Other
1.9%

Based on 22,552 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 Poway 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

Cerritos
48,340 people
Ceres
48,918 people
San Luis Obispo
48,039 people
Antelope
49,080 people
North Highlands
47,900 people
Azusa
49,318 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Poway's 48,515 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hattiesburg, MS
48,507 people
Cedar Hill, TX
48,547 people
Tuckahoe, VA
48,610 people
Bothell, WA
48,610 people
Leesburg, VA
48,788 people
Hilo, HI
48,223 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Poway's $143,825 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake Barcroft, VA
$143,796 median income
Babylon, NY
$143,856 median income
Chantilly, VA
$143,786 median income
Enterprise, UT
$143,781 median income
Northville, MI
$143,875 median income
Cedar Crest, NM
$143,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Poway, 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 Poway, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.5% 13.4% 6.8% 13.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.8% White 62.5% Black or African American 2.8% Asian 13.4% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 6.8% Two or more races 13.4% 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 Poway 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
Poway (this city) 48,515 $143,825
Cerritos 48,340 $133,953
Ceres 48,918 $76,862
San Luis Obispo 48,039 $66,711
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Poway, CA?

What is the population of Poway, CA? +

The population of Poway, CA stands at 48,515 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Poway runs $143,825, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Poway? +

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

Poway has a total crime rate of 717.5 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 Poway, CA? +

The median home value in Poway is $971,500, 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.