Ruth, CA Demographics

Population 163 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Ruth, CA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Ruth

Household size in Ruth

Household size, people per household
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–102.633.042.68
2010–142.113.102.73
2015–192.023.092.71
2020–242.483.012.65
Change−0.16−0.03−0.03
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Households in Ruth run small, averaging 2.48 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.63, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

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 Ruth

Median age, years
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1038.635.837.7
2010–1451.536.838.6
2015–1953.637.939.6
2020–2447.139.040.1
Change+8.5+3.1+2.3
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With a median age of 47.1, Ruth is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.

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 Ruth

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1010.8%13.5%12.3%
2010–144.4%13.5%12.3%
2015–199.3%12.3%11.6%
2020–248.2%12.3%11.6%
Change−2.5 pts−1.2 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ruth: 8.2% 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 Ruth

Renters in Ruth

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1026.3%42.6%33.3%
2010–1429.4%45.2%35.6%
2015–1918.5%45.2%36.0%
2020–2443.8%44.1%34.8%
Change+17.5 pts+1.5 pts+1.5 pts
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More than four in ten households in Ruth rent their homes (43.8%), above the national share of 34.8%. California as a whole looks much the same. Among homeowners, 63.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.

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 Ruth

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1048.9%8.7%11.4%
2010–1444.8%8.1%11.4%
2015–1939.8%7.5%11.1%
2020–2438.7%7.3%9.6%
Change−10.2 pts−1.4 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacant homes make up 38.7% of the housing in Ruth, 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 Ruth

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–10197119721974
2010–14198019731975
2015–19197619741977
2020–24197719761980
Change+6+4+6
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The typical home in Ruth was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980).

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 Ruth

Rent, per month
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–10$1,399$1,298$965
2010–14$879$1,379$1,040
2015–19$853$1,721$1,213
2020–24$1,009$2,229$1,571
Change−$390+$931+$606
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Rent in Ruth runs $1,009 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 21.5% 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 Ruth

Bachelor's degrees in Ruth

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1011.9%29.1%28.4%
2010–1423.7%30.1%29.6%
2015–1915.5%32.9%32.1%
2020–2415.1%36.3%35.6%
Change+3.2 pts+7.1 pts+7.2 pts
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Fewer adults in Ruth have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.1%, against 35.6% nationally.

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 Ruth

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–1088.7%79.9%84.9%
2010–1484.7%80.7%86.1%
2015–1992.3%82.6%87.7%
2020–2479.9%84.2%89.3%
Change−8.8 pts+4.3 pts+4.3 pts
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About one in five adults in Ruth never finished high school, well above the national share: only 79.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.

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 Ruth

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodRuthCaliforniaU.S.
2006–107.2%9.2%8.1%
2010–149.8%11.3%9.4%
2015–198.6%6.3%5.6%
2020–2414.3%6.6%5.4%
Change+7.1 pts−2.6 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Ruth runs well above the national rate: 14.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).

Ruth compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Ruth2.4847.18.2%43.8%38.7%1977$1,00915.1%79.9%14.3%
Bridgeville2.4847.18.2%43.4%38.5%1977$1,03815.6%80.1%14.1%
Dinsmore2.5044.89.2%41.9%34.8%1976$99919.6%81.4%14.3%
Blocksburg2.7530.08.4%19.9%42.7%1982$1,24022.9%85.7%30.6%
Mad River2.3258.03.0%41.5%47.4%1982$1,6189.8%79.4%9.5%
Whitlow2.7430.68.5%21.1%42.4%1981$1,22422.7%85.5%29.9%
Fort Seward2.7529.48.4%17.6%43.0%1982$1,26723.5%86.3%31.5%
McCann2.5243.69.2%42.1%37.2%1977$91717.3%80.7%16.6%
Myers Flat2.3836.07.9%37.4%38.5%1980$1,22227.3%90.5%23.9%
Weott1.8750.27.0%47.0%46.4%1972$1,22023.6%98.6%35.4%
Phillipsville2.4333.58.0%32.6%32.3%1987$1,16131.8%86.3%2.9%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Wilmore, WV · Imogene, MN · Industry, AL · Inland, NE · Woodruff, ID · Iuka, KY · Jefferson, OK · Woodland Beach, DE · Jewettville, NY · Jodie, WV

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 Ruth. 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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