Wasco is a city located in Kern County California. Wasco has a 2024 population of 27,430. Wasco is currently growing at a rate of 1.91% annually and its population has increased by 8.09% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 25,376 in 2020.
The average household income in Wasco is $71,238 with a poverty rate of 19.15%. The median age in Wasco is 30.4 years: 31.6 years for males, and 28.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wasco was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Two or more races | 11,237 | 42.85% |
| White | 6,994 | 26.67% |
| Other race | 6,365 | 24.27% |
| Black or African American | 1,136 | 4.33% |
| Native American | 275 | 1.05% |
| Asian | 204 | 0.78% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 11 | 0.04% |
Two or more races
White
Other race
Black or African American
Native American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 5,963 | 3.71 | 59.1 | 40.9 |
| Married | 3,253 | 4.22 | 69.6 | 30.4 |
| Female | 1,010 | 4.33 | 42.1 | 57.9 |
| Non Family | 993 | 1.06 | 42 | 58 |
| Male | 707 | 4.18 | 59.3 | 40.7 |
4.06
Average Family Size
3.71
Average Household Size
59.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 2,565 | 15.92% |
| Associates Degree | 661 | 4.1% |
| Bachelors Degree | 911 | 5.65% |
| Graduate Degree | 288 | 1.79% |
| High School Graduate | 5,050 | 31.34% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 3,506 | 21.76% |
| Some College | 3,133 | 19.44% |
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 | 13,298 | 7,853 | 897 |
| 2+ Races | 6,609 | 3,776 | 481 |
| Other Race | 3,855 | 2,370 | 230 |
| White | 1,586 | 1,277 | 171 |
| Black | 864 | 628 | 32 |
| Native American | 180 | 136 | 18 |
| Asian | 149 | 140 | 67 |
| Islander | 11 | 11 | 4 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 44.97%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $38,106 | $38,485 | $35,938 |
| Graduate Degree | $76,865 | $86,818 | $76,537 |
| High School Graduate | $38,204 | $43,994 | $30,513 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $26,890 | $31,057 | $18,920 |
| Overall | $34,207 | $37,716 | $30,132 |
| Some College | $35,824 | $37,477 | $31,149 |
$34,207
Average Earnings
$37,716
Average Male
$30,132
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
31.3% of Wasco residents speak only English, while 68.7% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 67.47% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 20,546 | 3,901 | 18.99% |
| Multiple | 10,059 | 2,330 | 23.16% |
| Other | 5,812 | 874 | 15.04% |
| White | 1,208 | 220 | 18.21% |
| Black | 196 | 60 | 30.61% |
| Native | 212 | 50 | 23.58% |
| Asian | 157 | 2 | 1.27% |
19.15%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.89%
Male Poverty Rate
20.45%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Wasco is Black, with 30.61% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Wasco is Asian, with 1.27% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 6.02%. Among those working part-time, it was 15.29%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 30.56%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 27.55% |
| Some College | 18.85% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 12.5% |
| High School | 9.15% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Employed | 9.56% |
| Female Employed | 7.25% |
| Female Unemployed | 4.04% |
| Male Unemployed | 1.69% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $57,746 | $74,551 |
| Households | $55,521 | $71,238 |
| Married Families | $66,092 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $17,120 | $31,305 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
37.9%
Male Marriage Rate
46.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
388
Number of Veterans
359
Male Veterans
29
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 145 |
| Second Gulf War | 67 |
| Vietnam | 56 |
| Korea | 15 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 162 |
| 75+ | 107 |
| 55 to 64 | 57 |
| 18 to 34 | 42 |
| 65 to 74 | 20 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 195 | 1.25% |
| White | 163 | 3.04% |
| Other Race | 107 | 2.42% |
| 2+ Races | 63 | 0.84% |
| Black | 44 | 4.07% |
| Native American | 8 | 3.59% |
| Islander | 3 | 27.27% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
18.81%
Veteran Poverty Rate
24.18%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
48.9%
Labor Force Participation
45.4%
Employment Rate
7.1%
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
66.1%
Born in Wasco
71.44%
Native Born
28.56%
Foreign Born
21.5%
Non Citizen
7.06%
Naturalized
71.44% of Wasco residents were born in the United States, with 66.1% having been born in California. 21.5% 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 | 29,999 | 514 | 1.74% |
| 2028 | 29,485 | 514 | 1.77% |
| 2027 | 28,971 | 513 | 1.8% |
| 2026 | 28,458 | 514 | 1.84% |
| 2025 | 27,944 | 514 | 1.87% |
| 2024 | 27,430 | 513 | 1.91% |
| 2023 | 26,917 | -171 | -0.63% |
| 2022 | 27,088 | 866 | 3.3% |
| 2021 | 26,222 | 846 | 3.33% |
| 2020 | 25,376 | -2,649 | -9.45% |
| 2019 | 28,025 | 492 | 1.79% |
| 2018 | 27,533 | 537 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 26,996 | 479 | 1.81% |
| 2016 | 26,517 | 207 | 0.79% |
| 2015 | 26,310 | 112 | 0.43% |
| 2014 | 26,198 | 268 | 1.03% |
| 2013 | 25,930 | 344 | 1.34% |
| 2012 | 25,586 | -495 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 26,081 | 356 | 1.38% |
| 2010 | 25,725 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 21,263 | 8,851 | 71.31% |
| 1990 | 12,412 | 2,799 | 29.12% |
| 1980 | 9,613 | 1,344 | 16.25% |
| 1970 | 8,269 | 1,428 | 20.87% |
| 1960 | 6,841 | 1,249 | 22.34% |
| 1950 | 5,592 | -24,407 | -81.36% |