Palmdale is a city located in Los Angeles County California. Palmdale has a 2024 population of 158,907. Palmdale is currently declining at a rate of -1.55% annually and its population has decreased by -5.91% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 168,895 in 2020.
The average household income in Palmdale is $96,849 with a poverty rate of 14.1%. The median age in Palmdale is 33 years: 31.2 years for males, and 34.6 years for females.
The city of Palmdale sits in the north of Los Angeles County, California, separated from the city of Los Angeles to the south by the San Gabriel Mountains. It's the second largest city in Los Angeles County by land area and the 33rd most populous city in California.
About one-quarter of people in Palmdale were born outside the country. The city of Palmdale has a predominantly Hispanic/Latino demographic. Due to it being one of the last affordable areas for new single-family homes in Los Angeles County, many people of color on the lower end of the economic scale were able to purchase property, shifting the racial demographic.
Due to racial tensions in the area, minorities were redlined into the Sun Village commune, Antelope Valley’s first African-American commune, which was founded in 1938. Today, however, African-Americans are no longer the majority of Sun Village’s roughly 12,000 residents.
For the last 25 years, Palmdale has been rated as one of the top 25 fastest growing U.S. cities. Affordable housing developments in the 1980s and 1990s caused dramatic spikes in the population, jumping from 12,227 in 1980 to 68,842 in 1990 (a rise of 18.82%) and then to 116,670 in 2000. This has stayed relatively level since 2010.
Europeans, mainly of German and Swiss descent, first descended upon the area in 1886, naming the village “Palmenthal.” A trade route in the Antelope Valley had already existed for an estimated 11,000 years for Native Americans traveling from New Mexico and Arizona to California’s coast. The village of Palmenthal was officially established in June of 1888.
After the settlers decided to relocate slightly due to the difficult desert climate and drought, the name Palmdale was adopted.
Until the start of WWII, agriculture was the predominant industry for Palmdale. In 1953, Lockheed opened a facility in the city. The aerospace industry became the city's top employment source and has remained as such ever since.
The township of Palmdale officially became the city of Palmdale in August of 1962, becoming the first in the Antelope Valley to incorporate. In 2009, Palmdale became a charter city.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Palmdale was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 58,860 | 35.27% |
| Other race | 51,999 | 31.16% |
| Two or more races | 24,671 | 14.78% |
| Black or African American | 20,452 | 12.25% |
| Asian | 7,860 | 4.71% |
| Native American | 2,657 | 1.59% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 396 | 0.24% |
White
Other race
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 46,588 | 3.58 | 66.5 | 33.5 |
| Married | 25,019 | 4.16 | 78.9 | 21.1 |
| Female | 8,722 | 3.97 | 46.2 | 53.8 |
| Non Family | 8,635 | 1.34 | 54.1 | 45.9 |
| Male | 4,212 | 3.86 | 60.9 | 39.1 |
3.94
Average Family Size
3.58
Average Household Size
66.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 12,222 | 12.01% |
| Associates Degree | 7,761 | 7.63% |
| Bachelors Degree | 11,608 | 11.41% |
| Graduate Degree | 5,374 | 5.28% |
| High School Graduate | 30,424 | 29.9% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 11,582 | 11.38% |
| Some College | 22,777 | 22.39% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 59,862 | 40,312 | 5,104 |
| Other Race | 30,224 | 19,779 | 1,899 |
| White | 21,638 | 19,886 | 6,179 |
| 2+ Races | 14,290 | 10,538 | 2,167 |
| Black | 12,378 | 10,672 | 2,606 |
| Asian | 5,778 | 5,045 | 2,495 |
| Native American | 1,405 | 878 | 110 |
| Islander | 134 | 131 | 45 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 97.76%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 43.18%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $71,986 | $81,989 | $56,675 |
| Graduate Degree | $95,018 | $101,462 | $88,804 |
| High School Graduate | $40,927 | $47,496 | $33,360 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,124 | $39,528 | $22,228 |
| Overall | $43,857 | $52,074 | $34,815 |
| Some College | $44,356 | $57,792 | $34,807 |
$43,857
Average Earnings
$52,074
Average Male
$34,815
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
47.69% of Palmdale residents speak only English, while 52.31% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 46.8% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 104,648 | 13,494 | 12.89% |
| Other | 51,732 | 7,228 | 13.97% |
| Black | 20,225 | 5,876 | 29.05% |
| White | 29,298 | 2,833 | 9.67% |
| Multiple | 24,562 | 2,512 | 10.23% |
| Asian | 7,849 | 606 | 7.72% |
| Native | 2,637 | 585 | 22.18% |
| Islander | 396 | 133 | 33.59% |
14.1%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.7%
Male Poverty Rate
16.46%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Palmdale is Islander, with 33.59% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Palmdale is Asian, with 7.72% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.96%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.28%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.17%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 17.11% |
| High School | 12.34% |
| Some College | 10.6% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.6% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 32.04% |
| Male Unemployed | 18.21% |
| Female Employed | 6.43% |
| Male Employed | 4.02% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $82,481 | $100,581 |
| Households | $78,414 | $96,849 |
| Married Families | $99,049 | $117,777 |
| Non Families | $41,754 | $62,097 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
46.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
48.5%
Male Marriage Rate
44.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
5,286
Number of Veterans
4,590
Male Veterans
696
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,795 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,327 |
| First Gulf War | 1,152 |
| Korea | 254 |
| World War II | 15 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 1,509 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,259 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,160 |
| 75+ | 886 |
| 18 to 34 | 472 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,818 | 6.55% |
| Hispanic | 1,479 | 2.07% |
| Black | 1,201 | 8.28% |
| 2+ Races | 704 | 4.19% |
| Other Race | 373 | 1.03% |
| Asian | 154 | 2.49% |
| Native American | 36 | 2.1% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.82%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.24%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61.1%
Labor Force Participation
56.5%
Employment Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
64.26%
Born in Palmdale
74.69%
Native Born
25.31%
Foreign Born
11.04%
Non Citizen
14.27%
Naturalized
74.69% of Palmdale residents were born in the United States, with 64.26% having been born in California. 11.04% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 146,422 | -2,497 | -1.68% |
| 2028 | 148,919 | -2,497 | -1.65% |
| 2027 | 151,416 | -2,497 | -1.62% |
| 2026 | 153,913 | -2,497 | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 156,410 | -2,497 | -1.57% |
| 2024 | 158,907 | -2,497 | -1.55% |
| 2023 | 161,404 | -1,571 | -0.96% |
| 2022 | 162,975 | -2,533 | -1.53% |
| 2021 | 165,508 | -3,387 | -2.01% |
| 2020 | 168,895 | 16,732 | 11% |
| 2019 | 152,163 | -1,372 | -0.89% |
| 2018 | 153,535 | -1,039 | -0.67% |
| 2017 | 154,574 | -861 | -0.55% |
| 2016 | 155,435 | -447 | -0.29% |
| 2015 | 155,882 | 439 | 0.28% |
| 2014 | 155,443 | 632 | 0.41% |
| 2013 | 154,811 | 571 | 0.37% |
| 2012 | 154,240 | 700 | 0.46% |
| 2011 | 153,540 | 779 | 0.51% |
| 2010 | 152,761 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 116,670 | 47,828 | 69.48% |
| 1990 | 68,842 | 56,565 | 460.74% |
| 1980 | 12,277 | 3,766 | 44.25% |
| 1970 | 8,511 | -3,011 | -26.13% |
| 1960 | 11,522 | 10,622 | 1180.22% |
| 1940 | 900 | -145,522 | -99.39% |