City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Wasco, CA

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

26,222
Residents
$55,521
Median income
$251,900
Median home
$1,469
Median rent (state)

Wasco - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Wasco lands in the 28th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

28th
percentile, household income
56th
percentile, home value
57th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Wasco, CA

26,222 people live in Wasco, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $55,521 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.4%. Typical homes in Wasco are valued around $251,900, and the median resident age is 30.4 years. About 7.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 96% from five years earlier. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 66.0°F with 7.1 inches of precipitation per year and 0.2 inches of snowfall.

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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,469 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Wasco workers runs 22.0 minutes, with 78.1% driving alone and 1.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

26,222 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$55,521 /yr

Poverty 19.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Wasco compare to other US cities?

Where Wasco sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 56% pricier than other cities
Median rent 57% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Wasco 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 Wasco near the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Wasco ranks #1,294 - the 9th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Wasco only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,115 of 1,338
17th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,294 of 1,458
9th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,155 of 1,343
14th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#196 of 1,450
86th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,278 of 1,458
12th 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.

28thIncome percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Wasco's home value compares nationally

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

$251,900 44th percentile more affordable than 44% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Wasco $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 - Wasco, CA Wasco, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wasco, 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 Wasco, CA median $55,521/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%
Wasco, 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 Wasco, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.4%

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

Population
26,222
Median Income
$55,521
Median Home Value
$251,900
Median Age
30.4
Poverty Rate
19.4%
Labor force participation
45.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
66.0°F
Annual Precipitation
7.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
25,000 residents25,500 residents26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents27,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 25,389 residents 26,525 residents ▲ +4.5%
Wasco's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 80
2020 34
2021 66
2022 124
2023 46
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 96% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.0 minutes
Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
17.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
1.9%

Based on 8,591 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 Wasco sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,469/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Hercules
26,245 people
Windsor
26,179 people
South Pasadena
26,297 people
Eureka
26,302 people
North Tustin
26,038 people
Sanger
26,515 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wasco's 26,222 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Burlington, MA
26,223 people
Lockport, IL
26,228 people
Plainview, NY
26,251 people
Holbrook, NY
26,256 people
Elkridge, MD
26,183 people
Fairland, MD
26,183 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wasco's $55,521 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Happy Valley, AK
$55,521 median income
Mount Jackson, VA
$55,521 median income
Fort Laramie, WY
$55,521 median income
Elsa, TX
$55,519 median income
Utica, MI
$55,524 median income
Bladenboro, NC
$55,517 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wasco, 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 Wasco, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.7% 24.3% 42.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 87.3% White 26.7% Black or African American 4.3% Asian 0.8% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 24.3% Two or more races 42.9% 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 Wasco 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
Wasco (this city) 26,222 $55,521
Hercules 26,245 $130,583
Windsor 26,179 $129,004
South Pasadena 26,297 $128,105
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wasco, CA?

What is the population of Wasco, CA? +

Wasco, CA counts 26,222 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Wasco runs $55,521, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wasco? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wasco; 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.

What is the median home value in Wasco, CA? +

Wasco's median home value sits at $251,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Wasco? +

Wasco has an average annual temperature of 66.0°F, 7.1 inches of precipitation, and 0.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.