Population 7,678 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mecca
Household size in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.14 | 3.35 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 4.32 | 3.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.49 | 3.42 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.26 | 3.34 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.89 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Mecca are large by national standards, averaging 3.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Locally, though, the typical household here is smaller than in the Riverside area as a whole, where it has 3.34 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 4.14, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4 | 33.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 25.5 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.0 | 35.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.8 | 37.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.4 | +3.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Mecca is young: half of its residents are under 30.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 22.4, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 33 are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0% | 15.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 15.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 14.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −12.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head more than one in five households in Mecca (22.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 12.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 35 have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mecca
Renters in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.8% | 32.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.4% | 36.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.7% | 36.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.2% | 34.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Mecca than nationally: 44.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 68.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Mecca is close to the national rate: 10.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Riverside area overall (7.8%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.7 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1995 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Mecca has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west has the oldest housing. Mecca has newer homes than at least four in five California cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $629 | $1,287 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $674 | $1,332 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $618 | $1,549 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $971 | $2,083 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$342 | +$796 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mecca pays $971 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $342 a month since 2006–10, up 54%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only four have lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mecca
Bachelor's degrees in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.2% | 19.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.4% | 19.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 21.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 24.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mecca have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 4.6%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.4 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other California city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 77.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 78.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 80.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 36.3% | 82.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly two-thirds of adults in Mecca never finished high school, well above the national share: only 36.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. No other California city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mecca
| Period | Mecca | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.6% | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 28.3% | 14.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −21.5 pts | −4.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Mecca: 9.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 21.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mecca compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecca | 3.26 | 30.8 | 22.6% | 44.2% | 10.5% | 1991 | $971 | 4.6% | 36.3% | 9.0% |
| Thermal | 3.11 | 38.3 | 16.2% | 30.9% | 15.5% | 1982 | $1,083 | 8.0% | 52.3% | 7.3% |
| Oasis | 3.51 | 30.5 | 16.3% | 41.5% | 8.6% | 1989 | $897 | 1.7% | 21.6% | 14.1% |
| One Hundred Palms | 3.90 | 28.4 | 22.8% | 39.5% | 0.8% | 2008 | $797 | 0.7% | 21.8% | 18.7% |
| North Shore | 3.63 | 31.0 | 4.7% | 13.1% | 6.7% | 1995 | $1,226 | 3.1% | 34.7% | 10.2% |
| Vista Santa Rosa | 3.25 | 40.2 | 15.2% | 26.1% | 27.1% | 1991 | $1,857 | 20.4% | 74.2% | 2.7% |
| Coachella | 3.66 | 34.3 | 14.0% | 35.2% | 3.3% | 1995 | $1,555 | 8.3% | 56.1% | 9.3% |
| Valerie | 2.13 | 49.3 | 8.0% | 35.2% | 47.3% | 1993 | $2,301 | 35.4% | 67.0% | 10.7% |
| La Quinta | 2.49 | 50.1 | 9.0% | 24.1% | 28.4% | 1996 | $2,012 | 40.2% | 92.3% | 7.1% |
| Chiriaco Summit | 3.38 | 40.2 | 24.6% | 20.3% | 54.9% | 1973 | $1,521 | 12.1% | 79.9% | 28.9% |
| Pinyon Pines | 2.83 | 38.7 | 17.2% | 15.9% | 28.6% | 1990 | $1,333 | 23.9% | 79.4% | 13.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pageland, SC · Park City, IL · Paoli, PA · Palmyra, NY · Palmview, TX · Palmview South, TX · Palmetto, GA · Palmer, PR · Palm Beach, FL · Park Forest Village, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mecca. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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