Inyo County, California Demographics 2026

Name: Inyo County, California Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Inyo County, California has a population of 18,739, the 52nd most populous county in California. The median household income is $73,991 and the median home value is $348,700. The poverty rate is 10.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Inyo County Quick Facts

Population 18,739

Median Household Income $73,991

Median Home Value $348,700

Poverty Rate 10.9%

Unemployment Rate 2.5%

Median Age 45.5 years

Homeownership Rate 66.4%

Affordability Ratio 4.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 31.5%

High School Graduation 93.0%

Cities/Places 18

Population 18,739 52nd of 58

Median Income $73,991 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.9%

Unemployment 2.5%

How Inyo County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	18,803	18,739	-0.3%
Median household income	$72,432	$73,991	+2.2%
Median home value	$338,400	$348,700	+3.0%

Median Household Income

Inyo

$73,991

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Inyo

$348,700

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.8%

$25K-$50K 17.2%

$50K-$100K 28.8%

$100K+ 36.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.7%

$10K-$15K

5.9%

$15K-$20K

2.9%

$20K-$25K

3.2%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

3.9%

$40K-$45K

3.8%

$45K-$50K

3.1%

$50K-$60K

6.2%

$60K-$75K

9.7%

$75K-$100K

13.0%

$100K-$125K

10.4%

$125K-$150K

8.0%

$150K-$200K

6.9%

$200K+

10.9%

Employment

2.5% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%

57.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.4%

Renter 33.6%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,189/mo 19.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.2%

18-34

17.3%

35-54

23.7%

55-74

27.8%

75+

11.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Inyo County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Bishop	3,778	$83,686	9.9%	$386,400
Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek	3,071	$75,745	6.6%	$196,600
West Bishop	2,551	$114,653	5.9%	$615,600
Big Pine	1,615	$67,583	9.1%	$307,600
Lone Pine	1,439	$43,284	24.5%	$217,100
Independence	730	$73,850	6.5%	$295,900
Round Valley	548	$54,375	14.7%	$695,000
Wilkerson	518	$69,519	8.9%	$460,000
Mesa	343	$123,333	9.3%	$620,800
Tecopa	201	N/A	26.9%	$113,800
Olancha	113	N/A	4.4%	N/A
Homewood Canyon	103	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Furnace Creek	73	$47,917	38.4%	$9,999
Darwin	61	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Cartago	49	$80,694	0.0%	N/A
Keeler	28	N/A	78.6%	N/A
Shoshone	18	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Pearsonville	17	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Inyo County is located in California with a total population of 18,739. It is the 52nd most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 18 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Inyo County is 45.5 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 11.0% 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 Inyo County is $73,991. This is 25% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.9%. This is 9% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 2.5%. This is 62% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $348,700. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.7x. 66.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Inyo County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 24.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (58.0% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

31.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 15% 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 93.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Inyo County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Inyo County, California?

Inyo County has a population of 18,739, making it the 52nd most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Inyo County?

The median household income in Inyo County is $73,991 with a poverty rate of 10.9%.

How many cities are in Inyo County, California?

Inyo County contains 18 Census-designated places.