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CITY · 2020 ACS

Atwater

California · 31,970 residents · 6.57 sq mi
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The short version

Atwater is home to 31,970 people in California. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. The median age is 33.2, younger than the US median of 38.8. The population is up 38% since 2000. Households here earn about 27% less than in California as a whole. The foreign-born share is 23%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 33.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 67%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

31,970
+38%since 2000
from 23,113 in 2000
1990 – 2025
33.2
+16%since 2000
from 28.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
6.57 sq mi
Population, 19902024
21K24K27K30K33K19902000201020202024Atwater
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 57.4%(2,363)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 98.1%(2,581)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 148.8%(2,811)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 198.1%(2,601)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.5%(2,068)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.7%(4,374)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.1%(4,173)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.9%(3,493)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.7%(3,409)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 747.4%(2,357)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844%(1,285)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.4%(455)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$57,052
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,344 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$23,810
+57%since 2000
from $15,162 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
35.6%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
17.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade12.5%
US avg: 10%
Information10.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction8.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical6.1%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services4.2%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$251,100
+67%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $99,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,044
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $521 in 2000
US average: $1,124
55.9%
−3.9 ptssince 2000
from 59.8% in 2000
44.1% rent
2.99 people
−5%since 2009
from 3.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
4.4
−21%since 2009
from 5.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic44.3%(10,245)
Black4.7%(1,093)
Hispanic / Latino41.5%(9,594)
Asian5.3%(1,214)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic27.5%(8,788)
Black3.1%(1,001)
Hispanic / Latino59.6%(19,042)
Asian5.3%(1,684)
Other2.6%(839)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican53.4%(16,190)
Puerto Rican0.5%(139)
Guatemalan0.3%(84)
Salvadoran0.2%(74)
Nicaraguan0.2%(63)
Spaniard0.1%(31)
Argentine0.1%(25)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.2%(356)
Hmong1%(312)
Filipino1%(289)
Korean0.5%(155)
Vietnamese0.3%(80)
Chinese0.2%(70)
Japanese0.2%(63)
Thai0.2%(60)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian0.2%(52)
Samoan0.2%(50)
Chamorro0.1%(37)
Ancestry
German6.2%(1,889)
Irish5.9%(1,783)
Portuguese5.3%(1,602)
English3%(905)
Italian2.4%(734)
American2.1%(623)
Danish1.5%(470)
Norwegian0.7%(226)
French0.6%(189)
Polish0.5%(144)
Scottish0.4%(132)
Swedish0.3%(106)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(100)
Welsh0.3%(95)
Dutch0.3%(93)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(87)
Swiss0.2%(55)
Russian0.1%(32)
Finnish0.1%(28)
Greek0.1%(27)
Hungarian0.1%(16)
Lithuanian0.1%(16)
Romanian0%(14)
Czech0%(7)
Slovak0%(7)
Haitian0%(4)
Section 05

Education

14.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
71.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 70.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
3.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

28.8 min
+88%since 2000
from 15.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
82.3%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 75.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
6.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.0%
−7.0 ptssince 2011
from 17.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
63.8%
+4.2 ptssince 2011
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.4%
US average: 73.3%
24.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
51.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
22.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
7.0%
−13.5 ptssince 2013
from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.6%
US average: 91.9%
85.0%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married43.8%(5,114)
Married47.7%(5,574)
Widowed2.3%(264)
Divorced6.2%(723)
Women 15+
Never married34.4%(4,379)
Married42.1%(5,348)
Widowed10.4%(1,318)
Divorced13.1%(1,668)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

7.0%
−13.5 ptssince 2013
from 20.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
46.6%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
6.8%
US average: 13.7%
13.9%
US average: 17.6%
37.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.2%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
55.6%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
47.8%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)9.1%(126)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)23.2%(321)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era48.1%(664)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War15.2%(210)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.7%(24)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,381 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Atwater, California?

Atwater, California has about 31,970 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Atwater, California?

The typical household in Atwater, California earns about $57,052 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 $251,100, and the typical rent is about $1,044 a month.

How educated are people in Atwater, California?

About 14.0% 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 17.7% 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 9,688 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →