Population 27,807 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wasco
Household size in Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.75 | 3.27 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.79 | 3.34 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.67 | 3.28 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.64 | 3.26 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Wasco are large by national standards, averaging 3.64 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has dropped from 3.75 in 2006–10, 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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.4 | 31.8 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 27.7 | 32.2 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.2 | 33.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.2 | 33.9 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.8 | +2.1 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Wasco is young: half of its residents are under 30.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 25.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 27 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people 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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 18.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.6% | 18.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 16.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 17.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Wasco: 18.4% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Wasco has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
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 Wasco
Renters in Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5% | 38.6% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.5% | 42.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.3% | 41.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.9% | 39.9% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Wasco than nationally: 42.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 40.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has fallen 2.6 points since 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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 10.9% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 8.9% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −3.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Wasco as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. Compared with other California cities, Wasco has a higher vacancy rate than most.
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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1980 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1981 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1982 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Wasco has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $704 | $968 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $730 | $1,061 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $758 | $1,163 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,122 | $1,610 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$418 | +$643 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wasco pays $1,122 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $418 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the south.
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 Wasco
Bachelor's degrees in Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 14.9% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 15.3% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 16.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.7% | 20.5% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wasco have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 7.7%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 29 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.5% | 70.3% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 51.3% | 72.3% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 56.6% | 73.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 62.6% | 77.2% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults in Wasco never finished high school, well above the national share: only 62.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.1 points, mirroring the country. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 50 have 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 Wasco
| Period | Wasco | Bakersfield area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 13.6% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 9.9% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 8.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Wasco than nationally: unemployment was 7.1%, against 5.4%. Even so, the rate is lower than in the Bakersfield area as a whole (8.6%). Unemployment is down 5.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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).
Wasco 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasco | 3.64 | 30.2 | 18.4% | 42.9% | 8.4% | 1988 | $1,122 | 7.7% | 62.6% | 7.1% |
| North Shafter | 3.81 | 31.5 | 13.4% | 42.9% | 10.1% | 1975 | $1,405 | 8.9% | 72.4% | 7.8% |
| Shafter | 3.65 | 28.2 | 18.4% | 36.7% | 5.2% | 1991 | $1,693 | 14.5% | 75.7% | 5.5% |
| McFarland | 3.90 | 26.1 | 27.5% | 45.5% | 7.0% | 1992 | $1,151 | 6.8% | 59.0% | 7.8% |
| Mexican Colony | 3.92 | 30.8 | 13.3% | 41.3% | 7.8% | 1977 | $1,281 | 9.7% | 73.9% | 9.2% |
| Buttonwillow | 3.49 | 29.5 | 21.1% | 57.6% | 9.9% | 1970 | $1,158 | 5.1% | 49.0% | 5.2% |
| Spicer City | 4.22 | 25.0 | 23.4% | 52.6% | 15.2% | 1996 | $1,041 | 8.2% | 55.0% | 9.0% |
| Lost Hills | 4.05 | 25.2 | 18.3% | 60.1% | 9.0% | 1986 | $882 | 5.0% | 37.8% | 5.8% |
| Oildale | 2.72 | 36.7 | 16.8% | 59.2% | 7.9% | 1970 | $1,340 | 13.8% | 82.1% | 11.1% |
| Cawelo | 2.57 | 61.5 | 1.9% | 1.1% | 14.6% | 1986 | $1,401 | 49.7% | 96.8% | 18.2% |
| Woody | 1.70 | 64.7 | 6.4% | 10.2% | 53.1% | 1971 | $800 | 19.1% | 92.4% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Jefferson, GA · Leland, NC · Lathrop, CA · Lares, PR · West Springfield Town, MA · Westport, CT · Klamath Falls, OR · Wilmette, IL · Kingsville, TX · Wilsonville, OR
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 Wasco. 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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