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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Palmdale

California · 68,917 residents · 106 sq mi
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The short version

Palmdale is home to 68,917 people in California. There are 47,753 fewer people here than in 2000. The median age is 27.6, younger than the US median of 33.0. Median home value sits at $149,500. The average commute runs 35 minutes. The median household earns $41,974, about 39% above the national median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 27.6
US median: 33.0
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
68,917
−41%vs 2000
vs 116,670 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
27.6
−2%vs 2000
vs 28.2 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
106 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
59K89K119K149K180K19902000201020202024Palmdale
2024165K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 513%(8,972)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 911%(7,577)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.7%(5,323)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.9%(4,099)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.6%(4,525)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3424%(16,530)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.1%(10,404)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.4%(5,073)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 644.6%(3,150)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 743.2%(2,185)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 841.2%(829)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.4%(250)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,974
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $46,941 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$14,606
−11%vs 2000
vs $16,384 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
8.9%
−6.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$149,500
+73%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $113,600 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$580
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $630 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
70.4%
−0.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.0% in 2000
29.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic41%(47,831)
Black14.1%(16,447)
Hispanic / Latino37.7%(43,991)
Asian3.7%(4,327)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic76%(52,376)
Black6.4%(4,416)
Hispanic / Latino21.9%(15,117)
Asian4.4%(3,029)
Other13.2%(9,096)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican47.1%(77,568)
Central American12%(19,822)
Salvadoran7.6%(12,563)
Guatemalan2.5%(4,165)
South American1.4%(2,381)
Honduran1.1%(1,814)
Peruvian0.6%(988)
Nicaraguan0.5%(900)
Puerto Rican0.5%(876)
Argentine0.3%(527)
Spaniard0.3%(478)
Cuban0.3%(463)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Colombian0.2%(406)
Ecuadorian0.2%(370)
Costa Rican0.1%(131)
Chilean0%(75)
Dominican0%(51)
Asian origin
Filipino2.4%(3,905)
Vietnamese0.5%(831)
Asian Indian0.4%(719)
Japanese0.3%(474)
Chinese0.2%(379)
Pakistani0.2%(358)
Korean0.2%(353)
Cambodian0.1%(222)
Sri Lankan0.1%(160)
Thai0%(52)
Taiwanese0%(43)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(79)
Fijian0%(78)
Chamorro0%(76)
Tongan0%(5)
Ancestry
German3.3%(5,416)
English2.8%(4,530)
Irish2.6%(4,362)
American1.9%(3,181)
Italian1.4%(2,259)
Scottish0.7%(1,087)
French0.6%(989)
Polish0.6%(958)
Portuguese0.5%(851)
Arab0.5%(826)
West Indian0.5%(763)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.4%(659)
Norwegian0.4%(630)
Swedish0.4%(609)
Nigerian0.4%(596)
Hungarian0.3%(516)
Armenian0.3%(509)
Czech0.3%(486)
Danish0.3%(413)
Welsh0.2%(303)
Egyptian0.2%(300)
British0.1%(245)
Dutch0.1%(244)
Finnish0.1%(229)
Canadian0.1%(181)
Lithuanian0.1%(177)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(173)
Haitian0.1%(168)
Jamaican0.1%(150)
Jordanian0.1%(148)
Iranian0.1%(146)
Brazilian0.1%(101)
Croatian0.1%(94)
Romanian0.1%(94)
Ethiopian0.1%(93)
Syrian0.1%(88)
Austrian0.1%(86)
Greek0%(77)
Ukrainian0%(70)
Turkish0%(64)
Barbadian0%(52)
Slovene0%(47)
Moroccan0%(46)
Serbian0%(30)
Guyanese0%(21)
Belgian0%(20)
Swiss0%(15)
Lebanese0%(13)
Slovak0%(6)
Latvian0%(4)
Iraqi0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
13.3%
Unchangedvs 2000
vs 13.3% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
79.8%
+5.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 74.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
3.6%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
34.9 min
−6%vs 2000
vs 37.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married43.3%(26,090)
Married49.8%(29,991)
Widowed2%(1,229)
Divorced4.8%(2,910)
Women 15+
Never married39.1%(25,186)
Married46.8%(30,153)
Widowed6%(3,850)
Divorced8.2%(5,301)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.2%
−10.6 ptssince 2013
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
46.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 46.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
7.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 7.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
37.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 37.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
52.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 52.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 45.6% 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)32.8%(1,591)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23%(1,113)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.9%(1,498)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.9%(238)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(11)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,847 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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PALMDALE VS
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PALMDALE VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Palmdale, California?

Palmdale, California has about 68,917 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Palmdale, California?

The typical household in Palmdale, California earns about $41,974 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Palmdale, California expensive?

In Palmdale, California, the median home is worth about $149,500, and the typical rent is about $580 a month.

How educated are people in Palmdale, California?

About 13.3% of adults age 25 and over in Palmdale, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Palmdale, California?

About 8.9% of people in Palmdale, California live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →