Occidental, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Occidental is a small community located in California, within Sonoma County. The total population is 1,225. It ranks as the 1011th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Occidental is 55.1 years. This is 45% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 12.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.7% 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 Occidental is $108,207. This is 9% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 34% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.0%. This is 42% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $1,167,800. Housing costs are 59% higher than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.8x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 74.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Occidental is White (non-Hispanic), making up 62.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (62.4% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

67.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Occidental in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 82% 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 98.1%. Notably, 21.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Occidental, 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.