Big Bend, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 67, Big Bend'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

Big Bend is a small community located in California, within Shasta County. The total population is 67. It ranks as the 1499th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Bend is 61.5 years. This is 62% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 6.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.4% 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 Big Bend is $26,875. This is 73% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 67% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 31.3%. This is 161% 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 unemployment rate is 29.6%. This is 348% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Big Bend is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.6% of the population. Asian residents account for 7.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (83.6% vs 33.8%). The Asian population (7.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

19.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% 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 96.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Big Bend, 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.