Santa Nella, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Santa Nella is a small community located in California, within Merced County. The total population is 2,107. It ranks as the 891st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Santa Nella is 35.1 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 35.7% of the population under 18, Santa Nella has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Santa Nella is $99,154. This is about the same as the state median of $99,122. It is also 23% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.5%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 53% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $435,000. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 60.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Santa Nella has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 88.1% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 6.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (6.9%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (88.1% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (4.1%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

3.4% 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 91% 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 67.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Santa Nella, 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.