United States › California › Taft CITY
Taft California · 6,995 residents (2025 est.) · 15.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Taft is a city of 7,125 people in California. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 9% of adults. That trails the California median by roughly 27%. Owners hold 55% of the housing stock. The average commute runs 19 minutes. People stay put here: 95% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,400 in 2000
6,995 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
467 / sq mi
−21%since 2009
from 593 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Taft Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,772
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,861 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,564 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 33.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.432 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 7.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 3%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$252,600
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $82,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,069
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $456 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.1% in 2000
45.0% rent
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.62 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 57.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 79.1%(5,061)
Hispanic / Latino 15.5%(995)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 60.5%(4,314)
Hispanic / Latino 31.5%(2,243)
from 66 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 38.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 55.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 60.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 36.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 51.8%(1,590)
Women 15+
Never married 37.8%(1,127)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.3% 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) 19%(38)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.5%(37)
Share of the 200 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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Taft, California? Taft, California has about 7,125 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Taft, California? The typical household in Taft, California earns about $72,772 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Taft, California expensive? In Taft, California, the median home is worth about $252,600, and the typical rent is about $1,069 a month.
How educated are people in Taft, California? About 9.0% of adults age 25 and over in Taft, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Taft, California? About 16.9% of people in Taft, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Taft, California grown since 1990? Yes, Taft, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,223 residents, a change of about 21 percent over that period.
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