Forest Meadows, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Forest Meadows is a small community located in California, within Calaveras County. The total population is 1,623. It ranks as the 945th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Forest Meadows is 50.5 years. This is 33% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 10.6% 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 Forest Meadows is $89,044. This is 10% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 10% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.0%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is 74% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $539,700. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 94.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 68% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Forest Meadows is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.2% of the population. Asian residents account for 13.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (81.2% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

43.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% 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, 16.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Forest Meadows, 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.