Mountain Mesa, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 600, Mountain Mesa'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

Mountain Mesa is a small community located in California, within Kern County. The total population is 600. It ranks as the 1176th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mountain Mesa is 59.8 years. This is 58% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 8.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 24.7% 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 Mountain Mesa is $64,531. This is 35% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.7%. This is 39% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Mountain Mesa, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $228,200. Housing costs are 69% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 37% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Mountain Mesa is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (84.0% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (8.5%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

13.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 65% 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 84.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Mountain Mesa, 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.