Wasco

Population: 26,222
Median household income: $55,521
Median home value: $251,900

Wasco, a community in Kern County, California, has 26,222 residents. At $55,521, its median household income sits below Kern County's $67,660.

Between 2019 and 2023, Wasco's population declined 3.6% from 27,193 to 26,222, while its median home value rose 49.5% from $168,500 to $251,900.

Households average 3.71 people. The median gross rent is $991.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 26,222
Median age: 30.4 yrs
Median household income: $55,521
Median home value: $251,900
Median gross rent: $991
Housing units: 6,455
Homeownership rate: 59.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 7.4%
Unemployment rate: 7.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

27,19326,222

Median household income

$39,250$55,521

Median home value

$168,500$251,900

Median gross rent

$756$991

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	27,193	$39,250	$168,500	$756
2020	27,553	$39,291	$179,500	$785
2021	27,505	$40,532	$187,100	$837
2022	26,317	$48,109	$224,700	$924
2023	26,222	$55,521	$251,900	$991

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.7%

5 to 1720.6%

18 to 2410.3%

25 to 3421.6%

35 to 4415.1%

45 to 5410.7%

55 to 647.6%

65 to 744.1%

75 and over2.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,014	7.7%
5 to 17	5,405	20.6%
18 to 24	2,689	10.3%
25 to 34	5,671	21.6%
35 to 44	3,956	15.1%
45 to 54	2,817	10.7%
55 to 64	1,991	7.6%
65 to 74	1,080	4.1%
75 and over	599	2.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	1,853	7.1%
Black or African American	1,042	4.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	97	0.4%
Asian	160	0.6%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	11	0.0%
Some other race	33	0.1%
Two or more races	144	0.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	22,882	87.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma37.7%

High school graduate31.3%

Some college or associate's23.5%

Bachelor's degree5.7%

Graduate or professional degree1.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	6,071	37.7%
High school graduate	5,050	31.3%
Some college or associate's	3,794	23.5%
Bachelor's degree	911	5.7%
Graduate or professional degree	288	1.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone78.1%

Carpooled17.7%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home1.9%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	6,709	78.1%
Carpooled	1,519	17.7%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	171	2.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	166	1.9%
Other means	26	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,267	26.9%
15 to 29 min	3,995	47.4%
30 to 44 min	1,433	17.0%
45 to 59 min	368	4.4%
60+ min	362	4.3%

Households

Average household size: 3.71
Poverty rate: 19.2% (4,233 of 22,104)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,970	83.3%
Nonfamily households	993	16.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1978

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,963	92.4%
Vacant	492	7.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	3,526	59.1%
Renter-occupied	2,437	40.9%

1-unit, detached75.8%

1-unit, attached2.6%

2 to 4 units5.8%

5 to 19 units2.7%

20 or more units8.7%

Mobile home & other4.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,896	75.8%
1-unit, attached	166	2.6%
2 to 4 units	375	5.8%
5 to 19 units	177	2.7%
20 or more units	559	8.7%
Mobile home & other	282	4.4%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0683542
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 9.39 sq mi
Water area: 0 sq mi
Center point: 35.5938, -119.3671