United States › California › Big Bear City CITY
Big Bear City California · 11,431 residents · 32.0 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
Big Bear City is home to 11,431 people in California. The population has more than doubled since 2000, adding 5,652 people. The median age is 47.2, about 8 years above the US median. Households here earn about 28% less than in California as a whole. 7% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 71% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 118%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 357 / sq mi
+63%since 2009
from 219 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 7K 9K 12K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Big Bear City Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $71,511
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,615 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,301 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.388 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Education & health services 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$463,500
+118%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,854
+60%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $635 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.6% in 2000
29.2% rent
from 53.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.17 people
−24%since 2009
from 2.84 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 49.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.6 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 81.6%(4,714)
Hispanic / Latino 12.9%(747)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 72.9%(8,328)
Hispanic / Latino 17.8%(2,034)
from 58 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 28.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 86.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 10.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 28.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.0% 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) 14.5%(145)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.6%(297)
Share of the 1,002 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 Big Bear City, California? Big Bear City, California has about 11,431 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Big Bear City, California? The typical household in Big Bear City, California earns about $71,511 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Big Bear City, California expensive? In Big Bear City, California, the median home is worth about $463,500, and the typical rent is about $1,854 a month.
How educated are people in Big Bear City, California? About 30.7% of adults age 25 and over in Big Bear City, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Big Bear City, California? About 16.1% of people in Big Bear City, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Big Bear City, California grown since 1990? Yes, Big Bear City, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,511 residents, a change of about 132 percent over that period.
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