United States › California › Chowchilla CITY
Chowchilla California · 18,730 residents (2025 est.) · 11.1 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chowchilla is a city of 19,020 people in California. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 7,893 people. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The median age is 34.2, younger than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 33% less than in California as a whole. 19.6% of locals live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 141%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,127 in 2000
18,730 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,716 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,647 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 9K 12K 16K 20K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chowchilla Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,514
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,729 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,927 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 24.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.412 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.3%
Public administration 6.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$364,000
+141%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,178
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $545 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 56.0% in 2000
42.7% rent
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 41.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 58.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.8 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 55.1%(6,129)
Hispanic / Latino 28.2%(3,138)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 32.5%(6,175)
Hispanic / Latino 50.3%(9,574)
from 81 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 60.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 29.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 27.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 79.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 60.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 35.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.4%(3,187)
Women 15+
Never married 50.5%(3,901)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 35.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 10.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 48.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.6% 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) 26%(141)
Gulf War (1990s) 27.4%(149)
Share of the 543 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 Chowchilla, California? Chowchilla, California has about 19,020 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chowchilla, California? The typical household in Chowchilla, California earns about $66,514 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chowchilla, California expensive? In Chowchilla, California, the median home is worth about $364,000, and the typical rent is about $1,178 a month.
How educated are people in Chowchilla, California? About 15.6% of adults age 25 and over in Chowchilla, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chowchilla, California? About 19.6% of people in Chowchilla, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chowchilla, California grown since 1990? Yes, Chowchilla, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,090 residents, a change of about 221 percent over that period.
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