Bass Lake, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 499, Bass Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bass Lake is a small community located in California, within Madera County. The total population is 499. It ranks as the 1213th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bass Lake is 52.3 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 13.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bass Lake is $133,964. This is 35% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 66% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.0%. This is 75% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Bass Lake, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Bass Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.4% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (6.0%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

51.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 43.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bass Lake, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.