Dorrington, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 406, Dorrington'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

Dorrington is a small community located in California, within Calaveras County. The total population is 406. It ranks as the 1261st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dorrington is 62.5 years. This is 65% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 31.3% 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 Dorrington is $209,022. This is 111% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 159% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.1%. This is 41% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Dorrington, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $478,600. Housing costs are 35% lower than the state median of $734,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Dorrington is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dorrington has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.4% of all residents. Asian residents account for 9.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (88.4% vs 33.8%).

Education

72.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dorrington in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 95% higher 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 88.4%. Notably, 50.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Dorrington, 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.