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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

National City

California · 54,260 residents · 7.35 sq mi
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The short version

National City is a city of 54,260 people in California. Owners hold 35% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 28.7. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 9% of adults. Households here earn about 37% less than in California as a whole. The poverty rate is 22.0%, above the 12.4% national rate.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 28.7
US median: 35.2
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 8%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

54,260
Unchangedsince 1990
from 54,249 in 1990
1990 – 2025
28.7
+8%since 1990
from 26.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
7.35 sq mi
Population, 19902024
53K55K57K60K62K19902000201020202024National City
202459K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 58.1%(4,410)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 99.1%(4,956)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.3%(4,526)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.4%(4,559)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2410.1%(5,506)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415%(8,115)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414%(7,609)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410%(5,414)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 645.9%(3,176)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746%(3,242)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.9%(2,109)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.2%(638)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$29,826
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,129 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$11,582
+34%since 1990
from $8,658 in 1990
US average: $21,522
22.0%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 21.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$138,800
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $115,000 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$573
−9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $476 in 1990
US average: $602
35.0%
−0.5 ptssince 1990
from 35.5% in 1990
65.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic41.1%(22,320)
Black8.5%(4,597)
Hispanic / Latino48.8%(26,493)
Asian17.7%(9,606)
2000
White, non-Hispanic14.1%(7,653)
Black5.2%(2,823)
Hispanic / Latino59.1%(32,053)
Asian18.2%(9,863)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican59.3%(34,915)
Puerto Rican1.3%(791)
Dominican0.4%(255)
Salvadoran0.4%(242)
Spaniard0.2%(136)
Honduran0.2%(111)
Colombian0.1%(73)
Cuban0.1%(62)
Nicaraguan0.1%(40)
Guatemalan0.1%(34)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino15.6%(9,188)
Vietnamese0.5%(271)
Japanese0.3%(200)
Chinese0.3%(187)
Laotian0.1%(59)
Burmese0%(25)
Hmong0%(10)
Korean0%(9)
Thai0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.5%(313)
Guamanian0.1%(66)
Samoan0.1%(44)
Ancestry
Irish2.3%(1,346)
German2.1%(1,262)
Italian1.5%(903)
American1.4%(851)
English1.1%(672)
West Indian0.6%(382)
Ethiopian0.6%(349)
Polish0.4%(227)
Arab0.3%(187)
French0.3%(182)
Jamaican0.3%(180)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.3%(157)
Dutch0.2%(134)
Norwegian0.2%(125)
Swedish0.2%(109)
Iraqi0.2%(94)
Portuguese0.1%(85)
British0.1%(79)
Welsh0.1%(74)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(72)
Danish0.1%(54)
Turkish0.1%(44)
Haitian0.1%(42)
Russian0.1%(37)
Iranian0.1%(32)
Lithuanian0.1%(30)
Nigerian0%(27)
Ukrainian0%(23)
Czech0%(21)
Croatian0%(19)
Egyptian0%(18)
Hungarian0%(18)
Austrian0%(14)
Swiss0%(14)
Romanian0%(13)
Canadian0%(12)
Greek0%(11)
Moroccan0%(10)
Finnish0%(9)
Kenyan0%(9)
Belgian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

9.0%
−0.1 ptssince 1990
from 9.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
57.2%
−1.7 ptssince 1990
from 58.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
2.1%
+0.2 ptssince 1990
from 2.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

15.7 min
−61%since 1990
from 40.5 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 married41%(8,393)
Married49.8%(10,195)
Widowed2.4%(486)
Divorced6.9%(1,418)
Women 15+
Never married28.8%(5,762)
Married51%(10,204)
Widowed10.6%(2,115)
Divorced9.6%(1,914)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

12.2%
−18.3 ptssince 2013
from 30.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
39.4%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 41.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
7.6%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 5.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
16.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
35.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 35.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
50.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 49.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 47.1% 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)51.9%(1,381)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(694)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era21.9%(581)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.8%(22)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,659 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 National City, California?

National City, California has about 54,260 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in National City, California?

The typical household in National City, California earns about $29,826 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is National City, California expensive?

In National City, California, the median home is worth about $138,800, and the typical rent is about $573 a month.

How educated are people in National City, California?

About 9.0% of adults age 25 and over in National City, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in National City, California?

About 22.0% of people in National City, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has National City, California grown since 1990?

Yes, National City, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11 residents, a change of about 0 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 →