Population 1,579 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Occidental: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Occidental
Household size in Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.18 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.00 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Occidental is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.1 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.0 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 55.6 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 57.8 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.6 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Occidental skews older: half of its residents are older than 57.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 50.1, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Occidental: 1.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Occidental
Renters in Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.3% of households in Occidental rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over four in ten owners (42.8%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +22.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Occidental: 37.8% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Occidental is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,223 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,257 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,932 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,601 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$379 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Occidental runs $1,601 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in California as a whole ($2,229). The typical renter here spends 22.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Occidental
Bachelor's degrees in Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 44.3% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.4% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.9 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Occidental is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (56.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.7% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Occidental: 95.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Occidental
| Period | Occidental | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Occidental is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in California overall (6.6%). 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).
Occidental 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental | 2.24 | 57.8 | 1.5% | 23.3% | 37.8% | 1967 | $1,601 | 56.4% | 95.1% | 4.9% |
| Bodega | 2.68 | 57.4 | 7.3% | 13.4% | 31.8% | 1975 | $1,634 | 62.4% | 95.8% | 4.1% |
| Graton | 2.41 | 51.6 | 12.6% | 23.8% | 5.5% | 1971 | $2,585 | 48.5% | 95.4% | 3.2% |
| Monte Rio | 1.87 | 59.2 | 2.3% | 15.3% | 44.3% | 1950 | $1,577 | 44.1% | 97.9% | 6.9% |
| Forestville | 2.51 | 43.7 | 5.6% | 27.0% | 10.6% | 1962 | $1,856 | 42.1% | 95.9% | 6.6% |
| Valley Ford | 2.81 | 54.0 | 13.1% | 14.1% | 21.8% | 1969 | $2,132 | 48.2% | 88.5% | 9.7% |
| Duncans Mills | 1.66 | 62.7 | 2.1% | 10.0% | 41.3% | 1966 | $1,306 | 50.4% | 95.6% | 14.9% |
| Sebastopol | 2.43 | 51.4 | 11.3% | 27.9% | 7.7% | 1971 | $1,960 | 49.1% | 94.4% | 4.6% |
| Carmet | 1.17 | 67.8 | 2.5% | 25.2% | 61.2% | 1977 | $1,239 | 51.9% | 93.3% | 1.7% |
| Guerneville | 1.94 | 52.2 | 3.6% | 30.3% | 26.9% | 1956 | $1,631 | 43.8% | 94.6% | 6.5% |
| Bodega Bay | 1.99 | 58.7 | 9.8% | 28.4% | 53.8% | 1975 | $1,642 | 51.8% | 92.5% | 9.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brackettville, TX · Mohawk, TN · Rib Lake, WI · Randolph, MS · Quitman, LA · Preston, MN · Polo, MO · Onset, MA · Ola, AR · Nova, OH
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 Occidental. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.