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CITY · 2020 ACS

Shafter

California · 19,953 residents · 38.696 sq mi
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The short version

Shafter has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $47,433. The city has grown rapidly, with population up 57% since 2000. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $194,000. At a median age of 29.0, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 40% less than the California median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 29.0
US median: 38.8
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,953
+57%since 2000
from 12,736 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
29.0
+11%since 2000
from 26.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K11K15K19K22K1990201020202024Shafter
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 57.8%(1,563)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 99.1%(1,806)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 149.7%(1,936)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 199.4%(1,876)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.4%(1,481)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3416.4%(3,277)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.7%(2,731)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410%(2,004)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 648.3%(1,653)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 745.1%(1,008)
US avg: 10%
75 to 842.3%(458)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over0.8%(160)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$47,433
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,515 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,351
+49%since 2000
from $10,961 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
29.2%
+14.4 ptssince 2009
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
23.4%
−5.8 ptssince 2000
from 29.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing29%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction26.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Information8.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing6.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 10%
Manufacturing2.4%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.8%
Other services0.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration0.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food0.2%
US avg: 2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$194,000
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$949
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $437 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
60.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 60.8% in 2000
39.8% rent
Afford Score
4.1
−25%since 2009
from 5.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Shafter on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic29%(3,693)
Black1.4%(181)
Hispanic / Latino68.1%(8,667)
Asian0.3%(38)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic14.9%(2,971)
Black1.5%(290)
Hispanic / Latino80.3%(16,017)
Asian1.2%(236)
Other0.5%(105)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican81.5%(16,090)
Guatemalan0.3%(64)
Salvadoran0.3%(59)
Spaniard0.2%(47)
Puerto Rican0.2%(44)
Honduran0.1%(25)
Costa Rican0.1%(16)
Asian origin
Cambodian0.3%(51)
Korean0.1%(12)
Thai0%(6)
Chinese0%(5)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(7)
Ancestry
German4.6%(911)
English1.7%(331)
Italian1.4%(276)
American1.4%(275)
Irish1%(199)
French0.7%(133)
Russian0.5%(104)
Portuguese0.5%(95)
Dutch0.4%(82)
British0.4%(77)
Hungarian0.2%(32)
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.2%(31)
Danish0.1%(29)
Scottish0.1%(26)
Swedish0.1%(23)
Iranian0.1%(14)
Welsh0.1%(14)
Arab0%(7)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Italian population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.3%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
59.7%
+12.4 ptssince 2000
from 47.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
2.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.4 min
+15%since 2000
from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
85.1%
+13.3 ptssince 2009
from 71.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
7.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
9.0%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 12.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2011
from 56.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
15.4%
−27.8 ptssince 2009
from 43.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
51.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
26.6%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
8.7%
−69.0 ptssince 2013
from 77.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married44.6%(3,402)
Married49.4%(3,767)
Widowed1.5%(114)
Divorced4.6%(349)
Women 15+
Never married38.8%(3,017)
Married46.9%(3,651)
Widowed7.8%(606)
Divorced6.5%(504)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Compare Shafter to nearby cities

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Home value$608,900+214%
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SHAFTER VS
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Home value$238,800+23%
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SHAFTER VS
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Income$51,727+9%
Home value$273,600+41%
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SHAFTER VS
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Income$80,540+70%
Home value$371,700+92%
Population422,165+1669%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Shafter, California?

Shafter, California has about 19,953 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Shafter, California?

The typical household in Shafter, California earns about $47,433 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Shafter, California expensive?

In Shafter, California, the median home is worth about $194,000, and the typical rent is about $949 a month.

How educated are people in Shafter, California?

About 11.3% of adults age 25 and over in Shafter, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Shafter, California?

About 23.4% of people in Shafter, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Shafter, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Shafter, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,544 residents, a change of about 137 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 →