U.S. · Census data
California median household income, by county.
Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for the state and every county, with margins of error.
The median household income in California is $102,159 in the 2025 ACS 1-year estimate, against $84,780 for the U.S. In the 2020–2024 5-year estimates it is $99,122, from $53,002 in Trinity County to $164,281 in Santa Clara County.
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Median household income in California
The Census Bureau publishes median household income from the American Community Survey (ACS) as table B19013. The two most recent releases are the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates, which cover areas with populations of 65,000 or more, and the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates, which cover every county. The Census Bureau says to compare 1-year estimates only with 1-year estimates and 5-year estimates only with 5-year estimates, so this page keeps them in separate tables.
State and national medians
| Estimate | California | United States | California vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ACS 1-year | $102,159 ± $390 | $84,780 ± $215 | +20% |
| 2020-2024 ACS 5-year | $99,122 ± $310 | $80,734 ± $166 | +23% |
By county, 2020–2024 ACS 5-year
Among the 58 California counties the 5-year median runs from $53,002 in Trinity County to $164,281 in Santa Clara County. 30 of 58 are above the national median of $80,734. The last column multiplies HUD's FY2027 two-bedroom fair market rent by 12, so you can set rent next to income.
| County | Median household income, 2020-2024 | Margin of error | Compared with U.S. median | Rank in state | 2 BR rent (FY2027 FMR) for a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $129,367 | ± $1,284 | +60% | 5 of 58 | $33,660 |
| Alpine County | $105,521 | ± $8,542 | +31% | 15 of 58 | $18,312 |
| Amador County | $88,044 | ± $4,389 | +9% | 28 of 58 | $21,180 |
| Butte County | $67,928 | ± $2,444 | -16% | 45 of 58 | $18,108 |
| Calaveras County | $78,647 | ± $6,007 | -3% | 32 of 58 | $18,396 |
| Colusa County | $75,672 | ± $6,385 | -6% | 36 of 58 | $16,128 |
| Contra Costa County | $127,229 | ± $1,713 | +58% | 6 of 58 | $33,660 |
| Del Norte County | $67,058 | ± $6,573 | -17% | 48 of 58 | $16,872 |
| El Dorado County | $108,845 | ± $3,035 | +35% | 13 of 58 | $26,412 |
| Fresno County | $74,201 | ± $1,322 | -8% | 37 of 58 | $20,220 |
| Glenn County | $67,139 | ± $5,144 | -17% | 47 of 58 | $16,332 |
| Humboldt County | $61,160 | ± $1,660 | -24% | 53 of 58 | $18,648 |
| Imperial County | $57,681 | ± $2,564 | -29% | 57 of 58 | $16,164 |
| Inyo County | $73,991 | ± $4,815 | -8% | 38 of 58 | $17,580 |
| Kern County | $70,210 | ± $1,287 | -13% | 42 of 58 | $19,872 |
| Kings County | $70,995 | ± $2,735 | -12% | 41 of 58 | $18,144 |
| Lake County | $60,621 | ± $2,557 | -25% | 54 of 58 | $19,392 |
| Lassen County | $67,403 | ± $3,407 | -17% | 46 of 58 | $14,976 |
| Los Angeles County | $90,112 | ± $392 | +12% | 26 of 58 | $35,568 |
| Madera County | $76,627 | ± $3,129 | -5% | 34 of 58 | $17,520 |
| Marin County | $149,091 | ± $4,474 | +85% | 3 of 58 | $44,364 |
| Mariposa County | $68,412 | ± $6,365 | -15% | 43 of 58 | $17,832 |
| Mendocino County | $68,092 | ± $3,254 | -16% | 44 of 58 | $20,196 |
| Merced County | $65,510 | ± $2,304 | -19% | 50 of 58 | $18,204 |
| Modoc County | $59,455 | ± $6,095 | -26% | 55 of 58 | $13,008 |
| Mono County | $99,415 | ± $18,554 | +23% | 18 of 58 | $23,124 |
| Monterey County | $97,230 | ± $1,883 | +20% | 21 of 58 | $28,992 |
| Napa County | $111,471 | ± $4,025 | +38% | 10 of 58 | $40,500 |
| Nevada County | $89,882 | ± $3,998 | +11% | 27 of 58 | $22,620 |
| Orange County | $116,289 | ± $871 | +44% | 7 of 58 | $36,684 |
| Placer County | $115,998 | ± $2,483 | +44% | 8 of 58 | $26,412 |
| Plumas County | $66,031 | ± $6,182 | -18% | 49 of 58 | $17,064 |
| Riverside County | $93,074 | ± $1,015 | +15% | 22 of 58 | $25,236 |
| Sacramento County | $92,175 | ± $1,010 | +14% | 24 of 58 | $26,412 |
| San Benito County | $114,394 | ± $5,136 | +42% | 9 of 58 | $36,048 |
| San Bernardino County | $85,478 | ± $924 | +6% | 29 of 58 | $25,236 |
| San Diego County | $106,268 | ± $949 | +32% | 14 of 58 | $33,876 |
| San Francisco County | $140,970 | ± $2,593 | +75% | 4 of 58 | $44,364 |
| San Joaquin County | $92,179 | ± $1,619 | +14% | 23 of 58 | $24,180 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $97,446 | ± $2,876 | +21% | 20 of 58 | $32,640 |
| San Mateo County | $158,855 | ± $2,851 | +97% | 2 of 58 | $44,364 |
| Santa Barbara County | $98,161 | ± $2,430 | +22% | 19 of 58 | $37,272 |
| Santa Clara County | $164,281 | ± $1,955 | +103% | 1 of 58 | $39,264 |
| Santa Cruz County | $111,093 | ± $2,734 | +38% | 11 of 58 | $51,048 |
| Shasta County | $72,636 | ± $1,972 | -10% | 39 of 58 | $18,972 |
| Sierra County | $63,355 | ± $21,034 | -22% | 52 of 58 | $18,312 |
| Siskiyou County | $59,095 | ± $3,737 | -27% | 56 of 58 | $15,048 |
| Solano County | $100,401 | ± $2,108 | +24% | 17 of 58 | $28,104 |
| Sonoma County | $104,674 | ± $2,030 | +30% | 16 of 58 | $33,828 |
| Stanislaus County | $81,468 | ± $1,473 | +1% | 30 of 58 | $21,636 |
| Sutter County | $79,704 | ± $5,306 | -1% | 31 of 58 | $19,200 |
| Tehama County | $63,784 | ± $3,435 | -21% | 51 of 58 | $16,332 |
| Trinity County | $53,002 | ± $8,924 | -34% | 58 of 58 | $13,836 |
| Tulare County | $71,300 | ± $1,532 | -12% | 40 of 58 | $17,400 |
| Tuolumne County | $77,404 | ± $5,095 | -4% | 33 of 58 | $19,236 |
| Ventura County | $109,797 | ± $1,753 | +36% | 12 of 58 | $29,088 |
| Yolo County | $91,752 | ± $3,365 | +14% | 25 of 58 | $25,620 |
| Yuba County | $76,373 | ± $4,587 | -5% | 35 of 58 | $19,200 |
2025 ACS 1-year estimates
The newest data, for the state and for the 42 California counties large enough to be published, in order from highest to lowest. Do not compare these with the 5-year table above.
| Area | Median household income, 2025 (1-year) | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| California (state) | $102,159 | ± $390 |
| United States | $84,780 | ± $215 |
| Santa Clara County | $169,499 | ± $4,671 |
| San Mateo County | $154,620 | ± $4,248 |
| San Francisco County | $141,519 | ± $5,038 |
| Marin County | $136,002 | ± $12,175 |
| Contra Costa County | $130,988 | ± $5,499 |
| Alameda County | $127,749 | ± $4,321 |
| Placer County | $125,927 | ± $6,672 |
| Napa County | $124,372 | ± $7,847 |
| Orange County | $122,729 | ± $2,279 |
| El Dorado County | $114,782 | ± $7,378 |
| Ventura County | $113,344 | ± $4,898 |
| Santa Cruz County | $111,563 | ± $7,694 |
| San Diego County | $110,941 | ± $1,824 |
| San Benito County | $109,633 | ± $13,376 |
| Sonoma County | $104,477 | ± $5,369 |
| Monterey County | $103,771 | ± $4,592 |
| Santa Barbara County | $102,279 | ± $4,381 |
| Solano County | $101,985 | ± $4,410 |
| Riverside County | $97,825 | ± $2,459 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $97,393 | ± $7,896 |
| Sacramento County | $97,061 | ± $3,134 |
| San Joaquin County | $95,680 | ± $4,742 |
| Yolo County | $94,794 | ± $11,192 |
| Los Angeles County | $92,404 | ± $1,144 |
| San Bernardino County | $91,143 | ± $1,824 |
| Nevada County | $91,073 | ± $10,610 |
| Stanislaus County | $84,432 | ± $5,098 |
| Kings County | $77,703 | ± $10,010 |
| Madera County | $77,128 | ± $11,030 |
| Tulare County | $75,307 | ± $4,217 |
| Tehama County | $75,222 | ± $8,803 |
| Yuba County | $74,751 | ± $12,688 |
| Kern County | $74,621 | ± $2,833 |
| Merced County | $74,487 | ± $3,611 |
| Sutter County | $74,432 | ± $13,473 |
| Fresno County | $74,293 | ± $3,448 |
| Shasta County | $73,050 | ± $6,200 |
| Humboldt County | $72,177 | ± $6,897 |
| Butte County | $70,117 | ± $4,357 |
| Mendocino County | $69,201 | ± $10,785 |
| Imperial County | $66,517 | ± $7,001 |
| Lake County | $57,302 | ± $11,219 |
How to read a margin of error
Each ACS estimate has a margin of error that the Census Bureau publishes alongside it, shown here after the ± sign. For example, Santa Clara County is $164,281 ± $1,955, so the survey result is best read as roughly $162,326 to $166,236. When the ranges for two counties overlap, the survey cannot show that one is really higher than the other. Small counties have the widest margins, and the 5-year medians are the more reliable numbers for them.
Worked example
Santa Clara County. The 2020–2024 median household income is $164,281 ± $1,955, which is 103% above the U.S. median of $80,734. A year of two-bedroom fair market rent ($3,272 a month in FY2027) is $39,264, or 24% of that median. It is a rough affordability yardstick built from two public figures, not the actual rent burden of any household.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 2, 2026. Figures are as published by the source on that date.
- Census Bureau, ACS 5-year table B19013, 2020-2024 (summary file) (read November 2, 2026)
- Census Bureau, ACS 1-year table B19013, 2025 (summary file) (read November 2, 2026)
- Census Bureau, Which ACS estimates to use (1-year and 5-year) (read November 2, 2026)
- Census Bureau, Comparing ACS data (read November 2, 2026)
- HUD User, FY2027 fair market rents (county-level XLSX) (read November 2, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in California?
$102,159 in the 2025 ACS 1-year estimate (± $390) and $99,122 in the 2020-2024 ACS 5-year estimate (± $310). The U.S. figures are $84,780 and $80,734.
Which California county has the highest median household income?
Santa Clara County at $164,281 in the 2020-2024 ACS 5-year estimate. The lowest is Trinity County at $53,002.
Can I compare the 1-year and 5-year numbers?
No. The Census Bureau says to compare 1-year estimates only with other 1-year estimates and 5-year estimates only with other 5-year estimates.
Why are some counties missing from the 1-year table?
The ACS 1-year estimates cover areas with populations of 65,000 or more. Smaller counties appear only in the 5-year estimates.
What does the margin of error mean?
It is the Census Bureau's published uncertainty for the estimate. A wide margin, as in very small counties, means the median is only a rough guide.
Survey estimates, not exact counts
Figures are Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates, published with margins of error, and are copied from the summary files linked above. Rent-to-income percentages are simple arithmetic on two published figures.