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CITY · 2020 ACS

Shafter

California · 19,953 residents · 38.7 sq mi
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The short version

With 19,953 people, Shafter is a city in California. This skews young, with a median age of 29.0. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 7,217 people. That trails the California median by roughly 40%. 27% of people here were born outside the United States.

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

19,953
+57%since 2000
from 12,736 in 2000
1990 – 2025
29.0
+11%since 2000
from 26.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
38.7 sq mi
Population, 19902024
7K11K15K19K22K19902000201020202024Shafter
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

$47,433
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,515 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$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%
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

$194,000
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $77,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$949
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $437 in 2000
US average: $1,124
60.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 60.8% in 2000
39.8% rent
3.71 people
+4%since 2009
from 3.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
4.1
−25%since 2009
from 5.4 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.
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)
Section 05

Education

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%
2.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.4 min
+15%since 2000
from 18.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
85.1%
+13.3 ptssince 2009
from 71.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
7.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

9.0%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 12.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
56.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2011
from 56.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
56.4%
US average: 73.3%
15.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

48.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
51.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
26.6%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
8.7%
−13.6 ptssince 2013
from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
77.2%
US average: 91.9%
90.8%
US average: 86.2%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

8.7%
−13.6 ptssince 2013
from 22.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
39.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
5.0%
US average: 13.7%
9.5%
US average: 17.6%
49.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
0.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
43.4%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
53.8%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)26.3%(62)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era51.7%(122)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War9.3%(22)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 236 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 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 →