CensusEasy
CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Lancaster

California · 118,718 residents · 94.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Los Angeles metro area
Compare
The short version

Lancaster is home to 118,718 people in California. This skews young, with a median age of 31.1. About 16% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population is up 22% since 1990. Getting to work takes 25 minutes on average. The poverty rate is 16.4%, above the 12.4% national rate.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 31.1
US median: 35.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
118,718
+22%since 1990
from 97,291 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.1
+5%since 1990
from 29.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
94.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
90K113K135K158K181K19902000201020202024Lancaster
2024169K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 58%(9,544)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 99.5%(11,295)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 149.2%(10,970)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.6%(10,209)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.4%(7,650)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.8%(16,379)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4417.5%(20,830)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.6%(13,763)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.6%(7,877)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 744.6%(5,466)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843%(3,562)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1%(1,173)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,127
−19%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $38,388 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,935
+14%since 1990
from $14,842 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
16.4%
+6.5 ptssince 1990
from 9.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$97,800
−45%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $133,800 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$643
−20%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $610 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
61.4%
−1.7 ptssince 1990
from 63.1% in 1990
38.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic79.1%(76,974)
Black7.4%(7,225)
Hispanic / Latino15.1%(14,711)
Asian3.8%(3,692)
2000
White, non-Hispanic52.4%(62,256)
Black15.6%(18,548)
Hispanic / Latino24.1%(28,644)
Asian3.7%(4,348)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican36.2%(61,239)
Central American7.8%(13,230)
Salvadoran4.5%(7,616)
Guatemalan2.4%(4,133)
Puerto Rican0.6%(1,075)
Nicaraguan0.4%(746)
Peruvian0.3%(562)
Cuban0.3%(527)
Colombian0.3%(473)
Chilean0.2%(422)
Honduran0.2%(417)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(245)
Dominican0.1%(161)
Argentine0.1%(119)
Panamanian0.1%(108)
Ecuadorian0.1%(89)
Uruguayan0%(27)
Bolivian0%(25)
Asian origin
Filipino2.4%(4,042)
Chinese0.5%(848)
Japanese0.2%(406)
Asian Indian0.2%(383)
Vietnamese0.2%(372)
Cambodian0.2%(336)
Korean0.1%(203)
Taiwanese0.1%(117)
Kazakh0.1%(109)
Thai0.1%(107)
Burmese0%(43)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(18)
Malaysian0%(11)
Hmong0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(249)
Fijian0.1%(174)
Samoan0%(64)
Tongan0%(5)
Ancestry
German5.5%(9,341)
English4.5%(7,644)
Irish3.8%(6,502)
Italian2.1%(3,614)
American2%(3,354)
Scottish0.8%(1,339)
French0.8%(1,289)
Polish0.7%(1,195)
Arab0.7%(1,158)
West Indian0.6%(961)
Norwegian0.5%(798)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.5%(775)
Swedish0.3%(502)
Greek0.3%(470)
Australian0.3%(456)
Nigerian0.3%(435)
Russian0.2%(402)
British0.2%(398)
Hungarian0.2%(367)
Welsh0.2%(358)
Portuguese0.2%(304)
Egyptian0.2%(302)
Canadian0.1%(248)
Syrian0.1%(246)
Swiss0.1%(232)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(222)
Danish0.1%(205)
Haitian0.1%(200)
Iranian0.1%(188)
Jamaican0.1%(164)
Romanian0.1%(163)
Czech0.1%(155)
Finnish0.1%(135)
Armenian0.1%(124)
Austrian0.1%(102)
Jordanian0.1%(95)
Israeli0%(71)
Ukrainian0%(68)
Brazilian0%(63)
Croatian0%(41)
Kenyan0%(34)
Moroccan0%(23)
Bulgarian0%(18)
Iraqi0%(16)
Guyanese0%(15)
Slovak0%(14)
Barbadian0%(13)
Turkish0%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.8%
−0.4 ptssince 1990
from 16.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
78.3%
−2.0 ptssince 1990
from 80.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
5.6%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 5.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.9 min
−1%since 1990
from 25.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33%(14,444)
Married54%(23,661)
Widowed2.1%(936)
Divorced10.9%(4,769)
Women 15+
Never married26.2%(11,249)
Married51.6%(22,161)
Widowed8.9%(3,837)
Divorced13.2%(5,686)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.5%
−11.6 ptssince 2013
from 16.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.4%
−4.9 ptssince 2020
from 57.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
8.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 7.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
33.6%
+7.1 ptssince 2020
from 26.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.8%
−3.6 ptssince 2020
from 63.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.9%
+5.5 ptssince 2020
from 39.4% 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)34.1%(2,564)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.7%(1,928)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era23.5%(1,769)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.7%(355)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(27)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 7,516 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Lancaster

Pembroke Pines
Pop 176,714
Fort Lauderdale
Pop 188,677
Sterling Heights
Pop 133,931
Midland
Pop 147,615
Places similar to Lancaster
Head to head

Compare Lancaster to nearby cities

LANCASTER VS
Quartz Hill
Income$105,443+156%
Home value$485,300+396%
Population11,510−93%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Palmdale
Income$81,770+99%
Home value$471,000+382%
Population161,845−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Rosamond
Income$79,386+93%
Home value$352,600+261%
Population21,473−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Sun
Income$72,173+75%
Home value$384,700+293%
Population11,036−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lancaster, California?

Lancaster, California has about 118,718 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Lancaster, California?

The typical household in Lancaster, California earns about $41,127 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lancaster, California expensive?

In Lancaster, California, the median home is worth about $97,800, and the typical rent is about $643 a month.

How educated are people in Lancaster, California?

About 15.8% of adults age 25 and over in Lancaster, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lancaster, California?

About 16.4% of people in Lancaster, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lancaster, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Lancaster, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 21,427 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
California

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

How we source and harmonize this data →