San Ardo, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 462, San Ardo'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

San Ardo is a small community located in California, within Monterey County. The total population is 462. It ranks as the 1236th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in San Ardo is 25.7 years. This is 32% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 44.4% of the population under 18, San Ardo has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 40.3%. This is 235% 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 25.0%. This is 278% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $445,900. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $734,700. 47.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in San Ardo is Hispanic or Latino, making up 84.0% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 12.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (12.8%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (84.0% vs 40.2%).

Education

0.0% 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. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 54.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for San Ardo, 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.