Kirkwood, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 218, Kirkwood'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

Kirkwood is a small community located in California, within Amador County. The total population is 218. It ranks as the 1365th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kirkwood is 53.3 years. This is 41% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 9.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 29.4%. This is 144% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Kirkwood, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $783,300. Housing costs are 7% higher than the state median of $734,700. 73.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kirkwood is White (non-Hispanic), making up 59.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 32.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (59.6% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (7.8% vs 5.2%).

Education

77.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kirkwood in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 110% 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 98.9%. Notably, 50.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kirkwood, 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.