CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Wasco

California · 12,294 residents · 9.39 sq mi

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The short version

Wasco is home to 12,294 people in California. This skews young, with a median age of 25.8. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 4% of adults. Households here earn about 44% less than in California as a whole. The population has fallen 42% since 2000. The poverty rate is 27.2%, above the 13.2% national rate.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Younger

median age 25.8

US median: 33.0

Less educated

4% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

12,294

−42%vs 2000

vs 21,263 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

25.8

−12%vs 2000

vs 29.3 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

9.39 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202427K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 511%(1,348)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 911%(1,356)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 1410.6%(1,301)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.1%(993)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 248.1%(995)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3416.4%(2,017)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4412.3%(1,514)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 547.5%(916)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 646.8%(840)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 745.2%(637)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 842.5%(307)

US avg: 4%

85 and over0.6%(70)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,976

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $28,997 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$7,097

−50%vs 2000

vs $14,228 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

27.2%

−0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 27.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$62,700

+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $80,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$352

+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $406 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

54.2%

−3.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 57.8% in 2000

45.8% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic21.6%(4,588)

Black9.8%(2,088)

Hispanic / Latino66.7%(14,187)

Asian0.6%(126)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic38.6%(4,744)

Black5.6%(684)

Hispanic / Latino63.1%(7,762)

Asian1.3%(156)

Other54.6%(6,710)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican82.1%(21,797)

Central American1.8%(472)

Salvadoran1%(261)

Puerto Rican0.8%(223)

Guatemalan0.8%(206)

Spaniard0.3%(77)

South American0.3%(74)

Peruvian0.1%(37)

Cuban0.1%(35)

Chilean0.1%(20)

Paraguayan0.1%(17)

Asian origin

Filipino0.2%(64)

Vietnamese0.2%(47)

Korean0.2%(42)

Japanese0%(12)

Chinese0%(9)

Laotian0%(6)

Cambodian0%(5)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.1%(25)

Samoan0%(9)

Ancestry

American2%(529)

English1.1%(304)

German1%(265)

Irish0.9%(242)

Italian0.3%(77)

French0.3%(73)

Dutch0.2%(42)

British0.2%(40)

Scottish0.2%(40)

Subsaharan African0.2%(40)

Swedish0.1%(22)

Russian0.1%(17)

+ 9 more ancestry groups with data

Lithuanian0.1%(16)

West Indian0%(9)

Haitian0%(9)

Danish0%(8)

Latvian0%(8)

Ethiopian0%(8)

Portuguese0%(7)

Scotch-Irish0%(5)

Croatian0%(4)

RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest American population · Largest Central American population · Largest English population · Largest German population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

4.4%

+0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.2% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

41.6%

−12.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 54.1% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

1.1%

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 1.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

18.8 min

+13%vs 2000

vs 16.6 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 married49.1%(5,853)

Married41.7%(4,968)

Widowed2.9%(344)

Divorced6.4%(758)

Women 15+

Never married36.7%(2,948)

Married50.8%(4,073)

Widowed7.8%(627)

Divorced4.7%(375)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

11.3%

−15.4 ptssince 2013

from 26.7% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

40.3%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 42.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

4.3%

−3.6 ptssince 2020

from 7.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

8.9%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 9.7% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

45.5%

+3.6 ptssince 2020

from 41.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

0.5%

−0.2 ptssince 2020

from 0.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

43.5%

−6.1 ptssince 2020

from 49.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

51.3%

+2.8 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)39.5%(152)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era16.6%(64)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War4.2%(16)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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