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CITY

Pacifica

California · 36,890 residents (2025 est.) · 12.6 sq mi
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Part of the San Francisco metro area
The short version

With 37,261 people, Pacifica is a city in California. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $1,249,800. That is roughly 62% ahead of the California median. Renters pay $3,098 a month at the median. The median household earns $160,523, about 95% above the national median. That puts it in the top 1% of US cities for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 87%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
37,261
−3%since 2000
from 38,390 in 2000
36,890 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,961 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2,950 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.6
+19%since 2000
from 37.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
12.6 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K37K38K39K39K19902000201020202024Pacifica
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(1,623)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.3%(1,613)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.8%(2,156)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(2,060)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.3%(1,585)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.9%(4,046)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.4%(5,728)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5414.9%(5,562)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.2%(5,276)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.6%(4,686)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.3%(2,355)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.5%(571)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$160,523
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,737 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$73,854
+145%since 2000
from $30,183 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
77.3%
+20.6 ptssince 2009
from 56.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.8%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.420
+7%since 2010
from 0.391 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Information7.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade7%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$1,249,800
+87%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $366,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$3,098
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,261 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2000
from 68.6% in 2000
32.3% rent
Vacancy rate
5.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.66 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.72 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
23.7%
−17.4 ptssince 2009
from 41.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
7.8
+1%since 2009
from 7.7 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.
Gentrification Score
75
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic61.3%(23,549)
Black3.2%(1,219)
Hispanic / Latino14.6%(5,609)
Asian15%(5,765)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic47%(17,528)
Black1.2%(436)
Hispanic / Latino19.6%(7,286)
Asian21.7%(8,102)
Other10.5%(3,909)
Diversity Score
85
+11%since 2009
from 77 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican9%(3,343)
Salvadoran2.5%(944)
Nicaraguan1.8%(657)
Guatemalan1.2%(454)
Colombian0.8%(305)
Puerto Rican0.5%(192)
Chilean0.4%(148)
Peruvian0.3%(125)
Spaniard0.3%(125)
Honduran0.2%(93)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(85)
Panamanian0.2%(60)
Bolivian0.1%(44)
Argentine0.1%(39)
Cuban0.1%(21)
Ecuadorian0.1%(20)
Uruguayan0.1%(20)
Costa Rican0.1%(19)
Asian origin
Filipino7.7%(2,870)
Chinese7%(2,616)
Asian Indian1.3%(485)
Japanese1.3%(476)
Korean0.8%(295)
Vietnamese0.6%(234)
Burmese0.6%(207)
Thai0.3%(123)
Mien0.3%(107)
Pakistani0.2%(88)
Taiwanese0.1%(40)
Cambodian0.1%(34)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Hmong0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Fijian1%(354)
Samoan0.9%(345)
Chamorro0.2%(62)
Ancestry
Irish11.7%(4,370)
German10.5%(3,907)
English9.2%(3,412)
Italian6.9%(2,555)
American3.5%(1,307)
French1.8%(654)
Scottish1.7%(642)
Portuguese1.7%(625)
Norwegian1.5%(554)
Polish1.4%(514)
Czech1.2%(465)
Arab1%(390)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1%(388)
Swedish1%(383)
Russian0.9%(345)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(279)
Ukrainian0.7%(268)
Egyptian0.7%(243)
Canadian0.6%(211)
Greek0.5%(173)
British0.4%(166)
Brazilian0.4%(163)
Danish0.4%(149)
Hungarian0.4%(148)
Welsh0.4%(144)
Iranian0.2%(92)
Lebanese0.2%(91)
Nigerian0.2%(87)
Swiss0.2%(78)
Croatian0.2%(66)
Romanian0.2%(62)
Turkish0.1%(54)
Armenian0.1%(52)
Latvian0.1%(51)
Palestinian0.1%(34)
Austrian0.1%(31)
Finnish0.1%(29)
West Indian0.1%(28)
Lithuanian0.1%(25)
Slovak0%(18)
Israeli0%(13)
Slovene0%(13)
Jamaican0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
48.9%
+15.1 ptssince 2000
from 33.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 91.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
18.8%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.2 min
+26%since 2000
from 21.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
62.1%
−12.4 ptssince 2009
from 74.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
3.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
23.6%
+18.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
2.7%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.9%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 7.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
67.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2011
from 71.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
84.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 83.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
55.1%
+14.7 ptssince 2009
from 40.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Female
50.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Foreign born
22.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.8%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
8.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2012
from 7.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
2.1%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
96.8%
+6.5 ptssince 2017
from 90.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
98.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 97.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
74.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 74.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.9%
−1.7 ptssince 2016
from 9.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married36%(5,779)
Married55%(8,830)
Widowed2.6%(424)
Divorced6.4%(1,035)
Women 15+
Never married29.1%(4,599)
Married53.3%(8,421)
Widowed7%(1,100)
Divorced10.6%(1,681)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
2.1%
−5.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
71.6%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 73.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
11.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
84.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 85.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.8%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 26.7% 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)11.4%(131)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.3%(314)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32%(369)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.3%(49)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II3%(35)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,152 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

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Head to head

Compare Pacifica to nearby cities

PACIFICA VS
San Bruno
Income$141,272−12%
Home value$1,207,500−3%
Population42,305+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PACIFICA VS
Millbrae
Income$163,476+2%
Home value$1,934,900+55%
Population22,869−38%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PACIFICA VS
Daly City
Income$123,547−23%
Home value$1,115,000−11%
Population101,261+174%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PACIFICA VS
Burlingame
Income$174,000+8%
Home value$2,000,001+60%
Population31,929−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Pacifica, California?

Pacifica, California has about 37,261 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Pacifica, California?

The typical household in Pacifica, California earns about $160,523 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Pacifica, California expensive?

In Pacifica, California, the median home is worth about $1,249,800, and the typical rent is about $3,098 a month.

How educated are people in Pacifica, California?

About 48.9% of adults age 25 and over in Pacifica, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Pacifica, California?

About 5.8% of people in Pacifica, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Pacifica, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Pacifica, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 409 residents, a change of about -1 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 →