City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Shafter, CA

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

20,618
Residents
$67,989
Median income
$306,800
Median home
$1,483
Median rent (state)

Shafter - the verdict

Shafter ranks in the 47th percentile for household income and the 41st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
66th
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
41st
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: Shafter, CA

Shafter is a small city in California, home to 20,618 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $67,989 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 18.1%. Typical homes in Shafter are valued around $306,800, and the median resident age is 28.0 years. Educational attainment runs 10.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 433 residential building permits were authorized in Shafter (Building Boom), up 128% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Shafter reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1643.7 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). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.9°F with 7.7 inches of precipitation per year.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,483 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Shafter workers runs 21.6 minutes, with 84.3% driving alone and 3.3% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

20,618 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$67,989 /yr

Poverty 18.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Shafter compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 66% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 41% 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, Shafter ranks #173 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 Shafter 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 Shafter toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Shafter ranks #1,201 - the 13th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Shafter only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#949 of 1,338
29th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,201 of 1,458
13th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,051 of 1,343
22nd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#224 of 1,450
84th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,192 of 1,458
18th 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.

47thIncome percentile
41stSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 41st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Shafter's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Shafter'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 42 Avg. percentile National median
Shafter'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 Shafter's home value compares nationally

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

$306,800 34th percentile more affordable than 34% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Shafter $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 - Shafter, CA Shafter, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shafter, 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 Shafter, CA median $67,989/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%
Shafter, 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 Shafter, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.4%

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

Population
20,618
Median Income
$67,989
Median Home Value
$306,800
Median Age
28.0
Poverty Rate
18.1%
Labor force participation
58.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1643.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
279.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1364.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.9°F
Annual Precipitation
7.7"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,000 residents20,000 residents22,000 residents24,000 residents26,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,061 residents 23,871 residents ▲ +19.0%
Shafter's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
433
housing units authorized
Single-Family
433
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
21
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 190
2020 270
2021 363
2022 211
2023 178
2024 433

Permit volume increased 128% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.6 minutes
Drive Alone
84.3%
Carpool
11.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
3.3%
Other
0.6%

Based on 8,073 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 Shafter 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

Lomita
20,409 people
Rosamond
20,835 people
Imperial
20,943 people
East Hemet
20,292 people
Lennox
20,289 people
La Cañada Flintridge
20,094 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shafter's 20,618 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Parma Heights, OH
20,616 people
Groveland, FL
20,621 people
Elko, NV
20,624 people
Pittsburg, KS
20,606 people
Bethany, OK
20,606 people
Pleasantville, NJ
20,604 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shafter's $67,989 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sterlington, LA
$67,986 median income
Nebraska City, NE
$67,993 median income
New Auburn, WI
$67,981 median income
Pike, NY
$68,000 median income
Rushsylvania, OH
$68,000 median income
Sugar Grove, OH
$68,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shafter, 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 Shafter, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.0% 22.6% 34.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 80.2% White 39.0% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 1.3% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 22.6% Two or more races 34.1% 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 Shafter 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
Shafter (this city) 20,618 $67,989
Lomita 20,409 $92,920
Rosamond 20,835 $77,773
Imperial 20,943 $83,214
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shafter, CA?

What is the population of Shafter, CA? +

Shafter, CA counts 20,618 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Shafter runs $67,989, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shafter? +

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

Shafter has a total crime rate of 1643.7 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 Shafter, CA? +

Homes in Shafter carry a median value of $306,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Shafter? +

The average annual temperature in Shafter runs 62.9°F, 7.7 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.