United States › California › Wasco CITY
Wasco California · 26,525 residents (2025 est.) · 9.39 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
Wasco is home to 26,558 people in California. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. This skews young, with a median age of 30.6. That trails the California median by roughly 48%. 30% of residents were born outside the United States. Density works out to 2,829 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
6% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 86%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,263 in 2000
26,525 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,829 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 2,575 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 29.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 15K 20K 24K 29K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wasco Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,727
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,997 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,228 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 27.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.409 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 26.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 6%
Transportation & warehousing 3.4%
Public administration 1.4%
Education & health services 1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$273,600
+86%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,089
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $406 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 57.8% in 2000
41.7% rent
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.73 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 34.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.8 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 21.6%(4,588)
Hispanic / Latino 66.7%(14,187)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 6.7%(1,780)
Hispanic / Latino 87.4%(23,206)
from 52 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
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 54.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 63.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 42.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 57.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 26.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 68.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 28.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 69.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 49.1%(5,853)
Women 15+
Never married 36.7%(2,948)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 26.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 9.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 41.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.5% 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) 22.9%(88)
Gulf War (1990s) 39.5%(152)
Share of the 385 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
Places similar to Wasco Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wasco, California? Wasco, California has about 26,558 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wasco, California? The typical household in Wasco, California earns about $51,727 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wasco, California expensive? In Wasco, California, the median home is worth about $273,600, and the typical rent is about $1,089 a month.
How educated are people in Wasco, California? About 6.2% of adults age 25 and over in Wasco, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wasco, California? About 18.4% of people in Wasco, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wasco, California grown since 1990? Yes, Wasco, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,264 residents, a change of about 116 percent over that period.
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