Shafter, CA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2023 Population

20,618

2.26% 1-year growth

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

2.19% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

21.3%

6.22% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$67,989

2.37% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$306,800

23.4% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

8,457

4.72% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Shafter, CA had a population of 20.6k people with a median age of 28 and a median household income of $67,989. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Shafter, CA grew from 20,162 to 20,618, a 2.26% increase and its median household income grew from $66,418 to $67,989, a 2.37% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Shafter, CA are Two+ (Hispanic) (33.4%), White (Hispanic) (22.7%), Other (Hispanic) (22.6%), White (Non-Hispanic) (16.3%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Hispanic) (1.39%).

None of the households in Shafter, 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.

82.4% of the residents in Shafter, CA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Shafter, CA was $306,800, and the homeownership rate was 65.6%.

Most people in Shafter, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Shafter, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States California Kern County, CA Bakersfield, CA Kern County (West)--Delano, Wasco & Shafter Cities PUMA, CA Kern County (Central)--Bakersfield City (Northwest) & Rosedale PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Shafter, CA is home to a population of 20.6k people, from which 82.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 24.5% of Shafter, CA residents were born outside of the country (5.05k people).

In 2023, there were 1.47 times more Two+ (Hispanic) residents (6.89k people) in Shafter, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 4.68k White (Hispanic) and 4.65k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

82.4%

2023 Citizenship

81%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 82.4% of Shafter, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Shafter, CA was 81%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Shafter, CA

Two+ (Hispanic)
6.89k ± 1.21k
White (Hispanic)
4.68k ± 957
Other (Hispanic)
4.65k ± 886

80.2%

Hispanic Population

16.5k people

80.2% of the people in Shafter, CA are hispanic (16.5k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

24.5%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

5.05k people

25.5%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

5.13k people

As of 2023, 24.5% of Shafter, CA residents (5.05k 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 Shafter, CA was 25.5%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
173 ± 80
Vietnam
163 ± 86
Gulf War (1990s)
44 ± 46

Shafter, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Shafter, CA employs 8.46k people. The largest industries in Shafter, CA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1,301 people), Retail Trade (1,033 people), and Educational Services (912 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($105,327), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($92,917), and Public Administration ($73,446).

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

8.46k

2023 Value

± 740

4.72%

1 Year growth

± 12.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shafter, CA grew at a rate of 4.72%, from 8.08k employees to 8.46k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Shafter, CA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (1,014 people), Production Occupations (857 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (811 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Shafter, 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.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

8.46k

2023 Value

± 740

4.72%

1 Year growth

± 12.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Shafter, CA grew at a rate of 4.72%, from 8.08k employees to 8.46k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Shafter, CA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (1,301 people), Retail Trade (1,033 people), and Educational Services (912 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Shafter, CA, though some of these residents may live in Shafter, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,417

Median earning men ± $10,719

$29,518

Median earning women ± $2,413

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($88,906), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($66,250), and Construction ($59,625).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($43,009), Public Administration ($41,010), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($34,980).

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.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

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

Voting results are not available for Shafter, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (58.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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

Completions

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.

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 Shafter, CA was $306,800 in 2023, which is 1.01 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $248,600 to $306,800, a 23.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Shafter, CA is 65.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Shafter, CA have an average commute time of 22.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Shafter, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$306,800

Median Property Value 2023

±$23,561

$3,576

Median Property Taxes

±$461

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 Shafter, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

65.6%

Homeownership

2023

68.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 65.6% of the housing units in Shafter, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 63.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Shafter, 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 41.01
Census Tract 41.02

The following map shows all of the places in Shafter, 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.

$67,989

Median Household Income

± $6,844

5.45k

Number of Households

± 600

In 2023, the median household income of the 5.45k households in Shafter, CA grew to $67,989 from the previous year's value of $66,418.

The following chart displays the households in Shafter, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Shafter, 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 (84.3%)
Carpooled (11.5%)
Worked At Home (3.32%)

In 2023, 84.3% of workers in Shafter, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.5%) and those who worked at home (3.32%).

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

22.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Shafter, CA have a shorter commute time (22.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.58% of the workforce in Shafter, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

21.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Shafter, CA (4.28k out of 20.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 12 - 14, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Shafter, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

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.

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

91.4% of the population of Shafter, CA has health coverage, with 44.4% on employee plans, 34.5% on Medicaid, 4% on Medicare, 8.3% on non-group plans, and 0.267% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see 2021 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2023 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1965 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Kern County, CA.

2,021 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kern County, CA

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see an average of 2,021 patients per year. This represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2,023 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 36.9% under 18 years, 26% between 18 and 34 years, 29.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 7.15% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.61%

Uninsured

44.4%

Employer Coverage

34.5%

Medicaid

Medicare

8.3%

Non-Group

0.267%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Shafter, CA grew by 9.66% from 7.85% to 8.61%.

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

Keep Exploring