United States › California › Atwater CITY
Atwater California · 32,133 residents (2025 est.) · 6.57 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,113 in 2000
32,133 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
4,898 / sq mi
+21%since 2009
from 4,032 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 28.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 24K 27K 30K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Atwater Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,472
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,344 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,162 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.445 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.1%
Transportation & warehousing 4.8%
Education & health services 1.2%
Public administration 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$363,400
+100%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $99,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,279
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $521 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 59.8% in 2000
47.9% rent
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 44.3%(10,245)
Hispanic / Latino 41.5%(9,594)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 26.1%(8,408)
Hispanic / Latino 59.8%(19,232)
from 77 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 70.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 80.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 52.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 42.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.8%(5,114)
Women 15+
Never married 34.4%(4,379)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 6.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 37.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.5%(332)
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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Atwater, California? Atwater, California has about 32,162 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Atwater, California? The typical household in Atwater, California earns about $64,472 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Atwater, California expensive? In Atwater, California, the median home is worth about $363,400, and the typical rent is about $1,279 a month.
How educated are people in Atwater, California? About 12.9% of adults age 25 and over in Atwater, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Atwater, California? About 21.0% of people in Atwater, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Atwater, California grown since 1990? Yes, Atwater, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,880 residents, a change of about 44 percent over that period.
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