Big Bear City, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Big Bear City is a small city located in California, within San Bernardino County. The total population is 11,431. It ranks as the 461st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Bear City is 47.2 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Big Bear City is $71,511. This is 28% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.1%. This is 34% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 9.8%. This is 48% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $463,500. Housing costs are 37% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 70.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Big Bear City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 72.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 17.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (72.9% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (17.8%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

30.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Big Bear City, 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.