Contra Costa County, CA

County

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2023 Population

1.16M

0.102% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

40.3

0.499% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

8.25%

0.101% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$125,727

4.76% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$830,800

5.53% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

572,588

0.186% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Contra Costa County, CA had a population of 1.16M people with a median age of 40.3 and a median household income of $125,727. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Contra Costa County, CA declined from 1.16M to 1.16M, a −0.102% decrease and its median household income grew from $120,020 to $125,727, a 4.76% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Contra Costa County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (39.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (18.3%), Other (Hispanic) (13%), Two+ (Hispanic) (8.76%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.17%).

None of the households in Contra Costa County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

89.1% of the residents in Contra Costa County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Contra Costa County, CA are Diablo Valley College (113634) (3,866 degrees awarded in 2022), Los Medanos College (2,167 degrees), and Contra Costa College (1,386 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Contra Costa County, CA was $830,800, and the homeownership rate was 67.7%.

Most people in Contra Costa County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 36 minutes. The average car ownership in Contra Costa County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Contra Costa County, CA borders Alameda County, CA, Marin County, CA, Sacramento County, CA, San Francisco County, CA, San Joaquin County, CA, Solano County, CA, and Sonoma County, CA.

Photo by Images by John 'K'

United States California San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Population & Diversity

Contra Costa County, CA is home to a population of 1.16M people, from which 89.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 26% of Contra Costa County, CA residents were born outside of the country (302k people).

In 2023, there were 2.15 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (456k people) in Contra Costa County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 212k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 151k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

89.1%

2023 Citizenship

89.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 89.1% of Contra Costa County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Contra Costa County, CA was 89.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Contra Costa County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Contra Costa County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
456k ± 1.84k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
212k ± 2.01k
Other (Hispanic)
151k ± 4.57k

27.3%

Hispanic Population

317k people

27.3% of the people in Contra Costa County, CA are hispanic (317k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Contra Costa County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

26%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

302k people

25.2%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

294k people

As of 2023, 26% of Contra Costa County, CA residents (302k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Contra Costa County, CA was 25.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Contra Costa County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
13,535 ± 703
Gulf War (2001-)
7,421 ± 815
Gulf War (1990s)
4,754 ± 619

Contra Costa County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Contra Costa County, CA employs 573k people. The largest industries in Contra Costa County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (79,822 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (71,238 people), and Retail Trade (57,708 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($200,123), Utilities ($149,352), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($124,382).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

573k

2023 Value

± 6,512

−0.186%

1 Year decline

± 1.62%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Contra Costa County, CA declined at a rate of −0.186%, from 574k employees to 573k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Contra Costa County, CA, are Management Occupations (81,270 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (54,695 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (54,158 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Contra Costa County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

573k

2023 Value

± 6,512

−0.186%

1 Year decline

± 1.62%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Contra Costa County, CA declined at a rate of −0.186%, from 574k employees to 573k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Contra Costa County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (79,822 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (71,238 people), and Retail Trade (57,708 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Contra Costa County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Contra Costa County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$75,669

Median earning men ± $1,458

$54,883

Median earning women ± $1,208

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($137,528), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($123,609), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($113,716).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($91,477), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($86,831), and Public Administration ($80,391).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$5.24M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.9M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$2.59M
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Contra Costa County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 71.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (26.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.05%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (71.6%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (26.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.05%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Contra Costa County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Contra Costa County, CA awarded 10,122 degrees. The student population of Contra Costa County, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 15,029 male students and 19,427 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Contra Costa County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (3,512 and 35.8%), followed by White (2,542 and 25.9%), Asian (1,814 and 18.5%), and Black or African American (740 and 7.54%).

The largest universities in Contra Costa County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Diablo Valley College (113634) (3,866 and 38.2%), Los Medanos College (2,167 and 21.4%), and Contra Costa College (1,386 and 13.7%).

The most popular majors in Contra Costa County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,600 and 15.8%), Biological & Physical Sciences (929 and 9.18%), and General Business Administration & Management (672 and 6.64%).

The median tuition cost in Contra Costa County, CA for private four year colleges is $53,372.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Contra Costa County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 87.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 34,456 (43.6% men and 56.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 34,456 students enrolled in Contra Costa County, CA, 43.6% men and 56.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 12,194 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Biological & Physical Sciences
749 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
432 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
412 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Contra Costa County, CA was Biological & Physical Sciences with 749 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Contra Costa County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Diablo Valley College (113634)
3,866 degrees awarded
Los Medanos College
2,167 degrees awarded
Contra Costa College
1,386 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Diablo Valley College (113634) with 3,866 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 3,633 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Contra Costa County, CA, which is 0.56 times less than the 6,489 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 3,512 degrees mean that there were 1.38 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 2,542 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($53,372) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,100) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Contra Costa County, CA was $830,800 in 2023, which is 2.74 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $787,300 to $830,800, a 5.53% increase. The homeownership rate in Contra Costa County, CA is 67.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Contra Costa County, CA have an average commute time of 36 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Contra Costa County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Contra Costa County, CA is $125,727. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Contra Costa County, CA was Census Tract 3452.04 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 3461.01 and Census Tract 3461.02, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 20.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Contra Costa County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.19%.

Housing

Property

$830,800

Median Property Value 2023

±$7,330

$278,509

Median Property Taxes

±$3,370

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Contra Costa County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Contra Costa County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.7%

Homeownership

2023

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 67.7% of the housing units in Contra Costa County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Contra Costa County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 3452.04
Census Tract 3461.01
Census Tract 3461.02

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Contra Costa County, CA was Census Tract 3452.04 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 3461.01 and Census Tract 3461.02, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Contra Costa County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$125,727

Median Household Income

± $1,829

412k

Number of Households

± 4,976

In 2023, the median household income of the 412k households in Contra Costa County, CA grew to $125,727 from the previous year's value of $120,020.

The following chart displays the households in Contra Costa County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Contra Costa County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (60.8%)
Worked At Home (19.2%)
Carpooled (9.7%)

In 2023, 60.8% of workers in Contra Costa County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.2%) and those who carpooled to work (9.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

36 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Contra Costa County, CA have a longer commute time (36 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 7.43% of the workforce in Contra Costa County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Contra Costa County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Contra Costa County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Contra Costa County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 20.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Contra Costa County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.19%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.25% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Contra Costa County, CA (95k out of 1.15M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Contra Costa County, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 11.3% of the children was living in poverty in Contra Costa County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

95.2% of the population of Contra Costa County, CA has health coverage, with 54.8% on employee plans, 15.9% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 12% on non-group plans, and 0.566% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Contra Costa County, CA see 968 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.921% decrease from the previous year (977 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1088 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 260 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

968 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Contra Costa County, CA

Primary care physicians in Contra Costa County, CA see an average of 968 patients per year. This represents a 0.921% decrease from the previous year (977 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Contra Costa County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.6% under 18 years, 18.9% between 18 and 34 years, 40.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.81%

Uninsured

54.8%

Employer Coverage

15.9%

Medicaid

12%

Medicare

12%

Non-Group

0.566%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Contra Costa County, CA grew by 3.44% from 4.65% to 4.81%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Contra Costa County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 30.2 in Contra Costa County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Contra Costa County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 28.1% in Contra Costa County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Contra Costa County, CA.