University of California-Davis, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

University of California-Davis is a small city located in California, within Yolo County. The total population is 8,696. It ranks as the 527th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in University of California-Davis is 19.3 years. This is 49% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 2.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in University of California-Davis is $18,631. This is 81% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 77% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 66.4%. This is 453% 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 18.2%. This is 176% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. 1.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 97% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

University of California-Davis is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 33.8%. The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (17.9%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (39.1% vs 15.3%).

Education

70.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places University of California-Davis in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 91% higher 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 95.1%. Notably, 39.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for University of California-Davis, 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.