Poplar-Cotton Center, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Poplar-Cotton Center is a small community located in California, within Tulare County. The total population is 2,171. It ranks as the 886th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Poplar-Cotton Center is 30.3 years. This is 20% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Poplar-Cotton Center is $51,076. This is 48% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 26.1%. This is 117% 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 unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 20% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $219,500. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 49.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Poplar-Cotton Center is Hispanic or Latino, making up 82.9% of the population. Asian residents account for 10.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.5%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (82.9% vs 40.2%).

Education

4.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 89% 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 47.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Poplar-Cotton Center, 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.