California Pines, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 427, California Pines'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

California Pines is a small community located in California, within Modoc County. The total population is 427. It ranks as the 1253rd most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in California Pines is 68.1 years. This is 80% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 32.8% 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 California Pines is $66,328. This is 33% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.5%. This is 87% 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 10.7%. This is 62% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $292,900. Housing costs are 60% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 65.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

California Pines has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.3% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.3% vs 33.8%).

Education

9.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 74% lower 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.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for California Pines, 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.