Snelling, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 243, Snelling'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

Snelling is a small community located in California, within Merced County. The total population is 243. It ranks as the 1347th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Snelling is 31.0 years. This is 18% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Snelling is $47,045. This is 53% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.2%. This is 65% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 16.2%. This is 145% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $294,200. Housing costs are 60% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 62.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Snelling is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 29.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (60.1% vs 33.8%).

Education

1.5% 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 96% 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 77.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Snelling, 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.