Atwater is home to 32,162 people in California. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The median age is 33.0, younger than the US median of 38.9. The population is up 39% since 2000. That trails the California median by roughly 35%. 52% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $64,472, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 100%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Atwater
What changed most since 1990
Hispanic share18.8% → 59.8%(+41.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
White share65.5% → 26.1%(−39.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Poverty rate12.6% → 21.0%(+8.4 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Atwater's population equals 11% of Merced County's. Its number of veterans equals 19% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 7.3% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)29.2%(412)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.5%(332)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.8%(576)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.4%(105)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,411 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Atwater, decade by decade
Atwater population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
22,282
$64,084
$214,566
14.0%
65.5
2000
23,113
$68,028
$181,983
12.3%
78.1
2010
28,168
$60,745
$308,717
12.2%
73.8
2020
31,970
$69,149
$304,343
14.0%
70.7
2024
32,162
$64,472
$363,400
12.9%
70.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
