Tomales, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 168, Tomales'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

Tomales is a small community located in California, within Marin County. The total population is 168. It ranks as the 1400th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Tomales is 65.6 years. This is 73% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 54.8%. This is 356% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Tomales, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $849,400. Housing costs are 16% higher than the state median of $734,700. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Tomales was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

37.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 37.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Tomales, 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.