California Junction, Iowa Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 169, California Junction'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

California Junction is a small community located in Iowa, within Harrison County. The total population is 169. It ranks as the 738th most populous out of 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa.

Age Demographics

The median age in California Junction is 30.5 years. This is 21% lower than the state median of 38.6 years. With 29.6% of the population under 18, California Junction has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in California Junction is $172,650. This is 130% higher than the state median of $75,059. It is also 114% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in California Junction. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in California Junction, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $123,500. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 0.7x, California Junction is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in California Junction 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

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. 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.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for California Junction, Iowa 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 Iowa state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,017 Census-designated places in Iowa. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.