Carson, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Carson, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,071 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4854.2 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.20% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.0 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 26,411 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Carson grew by 1.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 92,071 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Carson is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.0% of residents. That is 0.2 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 20,212 22.0% +0.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 19,421 21.1% -2.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 19,716 21.4% +1.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 16,281 17.7% +2.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.4% of the people living in Carson and men 48.6%.
- Women 51.4% California 49.9%
- Men 48.6% California 50.1%
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100% of everyone living in Carson
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Economy
Carson has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,874 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.19% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Carson is about 11% higher than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $608,891 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,980 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.4% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Carson is about 25.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,980 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Carson spend about 47 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 197 hours, about 8.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.6 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.2 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 197 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,092 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 49,055 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,644 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Carson is 24 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Carson has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.38 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Carson has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.1 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.4% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.9% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Carson, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
Carson, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 cities compared here, 92,071 residents against a local median of 22,667. The measure that sets Carson, CA apart most is median home price: $608,891, 29% below the local median of $851,851.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $109,874 against a local median of $85,893, 28% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 28% above the local median it puts Carson, CA at the better end of the local range. The cities themselves spread $262,931 on median home price, so Carson, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Carson, CA has the 6th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson, CA | 92,071 | $109,874 #1/6 | $608,891 #6/6 | 23.6 min #3/6 |
| West Carson, CA | 22,143 | $93,934 | $612,069 | 23.0 min |
| Compton, CA | 94,573 | $77,977 | $664,791 | 30.3 min |
| West Rancho Dominguez, CA | 22,667 | $85,219 | $874,701 | 30.5 min |
| Lomita, CA | 20,223 | $95,911 | $875,000 | 22.0 min |
| Gardena, CA | 59,400 | $85,893 | $851,851 | 25.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Carson, California.
How many people live in Carson, California?
About 92,071 people live in Carson, California, in 26,411 households of 3.4 people on average. The median age is 43.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Carson, California?
Averaged over its land area, Carson, California has 4,854 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 56 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Carson, California?
The median home costs 5.5 times the median household income ($608,891 against $109,874), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,980 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Carson, California?
Unemployment in Carson, California is 7.7%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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