Counties in California by population under 18

Tulare County had the highest population under 18 of 58 counties in 2020, at 30.1%. San Francisco County had the lowest, at 13.2%. The median was 20.9% and the figure for California was 22.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest30.1Tulare County
Median20.958 counties
California22.3History

Map of counties, 2020

Alameda County: 20.5 %Alpine County: 15.3 %Amador County: 15.7 %Butte County: 20.6 %Calaveras County: 17.6 %Colusa County: 27.9 %Contra Costa County: 22.6 %Del Norte County: 20.6 %El Dorado County: 20.4 %Fresno County: 27.8 %Glenn County: 26 %Humboldt County: 19.5 %Imperial County: 27.6 %Inyo County: 20.2 %Kern County: 28.6 %Kings County: 26.9 %Lake County: 20.9 %Lassen County: 17.1 %Los Angeles County: 20.9 %Madera County: 27.8 %Marin County: 20 %Mariposa County: 17.2 %Mendocino County: 20.6 %Merced County: 28.8 %Modoc County: 20.1 %Mono County: 19.8 %Monterey County: 25.5 %Napa County: 20 %Nevada County: 17.4 %Orange County: 21.5 %Placer County: 22.6 %Plumas County: 17.4 %Riverside County: 24.9 %Sacramento County: 23.3 %San Benito County: 25.4 %San Bernardino County: 25.8 %San Diego County: 21.4 %San Francisco County: 13.2 %San Joaquin County: 26.5 %San Luis Obispo County: 18 %San Mateo County: 20.2 %Santa Barbara County: 22.1 %Santa Clara County: 21.2 %Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Shasta County: 21.4 %Sierra County: 16.2 %Siskiyou County: 19.5 %Solano County: 21.9 %Sonoma County: 19.6 %Stanislaus County: 26.5 %Sutter County: 25.2 %Tehama County: 24.2 %Trinity County: 15.7 %Tulare County: 30.1 %Tuolumne County: 16.9 %Ventura County: 22.4 %Yolo County: 20.8 %Yuba County: 27.1 %
  • Under 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 to 21
  • 21 to 23
  • 23 to 27
  • 27 and over
%, 2020. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2020

Tulare County: 30.1 %Tulare County30.1Merced County: 28.8 %Merced County28.8Kern County: 28.6 %Kern County28.6Colusa County: 27.9 %Colusa County27.9Fresno County: 27.8 %Fresno County27.8Madera County: 27.8 %Madera County27.8Imperial County: 27.6 %Imperial County27.6Yuba County: 27.1 %Yuba County27.1Kings County: 26.9 %Kings County26.9San Joaquin County: 26.5 %San Joaquin County26.5Stanislaus County: 26.5 %Stanislaus County26.5Glenn County: 26 %Glenn County26San Bernardino County: 25.8 %San Bernardino County25.8Monterey County: 25.5 %Monterey County25.5San Benito County: 25.4 %San Benito County25.4Sutter County: 25.2 %Sutter County25.2Riverside County: 24.9 %Riverside County24.9Tehama County: 24.2 %Tehama County24.2Sacramento County: 23.3 %Sacramento County23.3Placer County: 22.6 %Placer County22.6Contra Costa County: 22.6 %Contra Costa County22.6Ventura County: 22.4 %Ventura County22.4Santa Barbara County: 22.1 %Santa Barbara County22.1Solano County: 21.9 %Solano County21.9Orange County: 21.5 %Orange County21.5Shasta County: 21.4 %Shasta County21.4San Diego County: 21.4 %San Diego County21.4Santa Clara County: 21.2 %Santa Clara County21.2Los Angeles County: 20.9 %Los Angeles County20.9Lake County: 20.9 %Lake County20.9Yolo County: 20.8 %Yolo County20.8Butte County: 20.6 %Butte County20.6Mendocino County: 20.6 %Mendocino County20.6Del Norte County: 20.6 %Del Norte County20.6Alameda County: 20.5 %Alameda County20.5El Dorado County: 20.4 %El Dorado County20.4Inyo County: 20.2 %Inyo County20.2San Mateo County: 20.2 %San Mateo County20.2Modoc County: 20.1 %Modoc County20.1Marin County: 20 %Marin County20Napa County: 20 %Napa County20Mono County: 19.8 %Mono County19.8Sonoma County: 19.6 %Sonoma County19.6Humboldt County: 19.5 %Humboldt County19.5Siskiyou County: 19.5 %Siskiyou County19.5Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Santa Cruz County18.9San Luis Obispo County: 18 %San Luis Obispo County18Calaveras County: 17.6 %Calaveras County17.6Nevada County: 17.4 %Nevada County17.4Plumas County: 17.4 %Plumas County17.4Mariposa County: 17.2 %Mariposa County17.2Lassen County: 17.1 %Lassen County17.1Tuolumne County: 16.9 %Tuolumne County16.9Sierra County: 16.2 %Sierra County16.2Amador County: 15.7 %Amador County15.7Trinity County: 15.7 %Trinity County15.7Alpine County: 15.3 %Alpine County15.3San Francisco County: 13.2 %San Francisco County13.2Tulare County: 30.1 %Tulare County30.1Merced County: 28.8 %Merced County28.8Kern County: 28.6 %Kern County28.6Colusa County: 27.9 %Colusa County27.9Fresno County: 27.8 %Fresno County27.8Madera County: 27.8 %Madera County27.8Imperial County: 27.6 %Imperial County27.6Yuba County: 27.1 %Yuba County27.1Kings County: 26.9 %Kings County26.9San Joaquin County: 26.5 %San Joaquin County26.5Stanislaus County: 26.5 %Stanislaus County26.5Glenn County: 26 %Glenn County26San Bernardino County: 25.8 %San Bernardino County25.8Monterey County: 25.5 %Monterey County25.5San Benito County: 25.4 %San Benito County25.4Sutter County: 25.2 %Sutter County25.2Riverside County: 24.9 %Riverside County24.9Tehama County: 24.2 %Tehama County24.2Sacramento County: 23.3 %Sacramento County23.3Placer County: 22.6 %Placer County22.6Contra Costa County: 22.6 %Contra Costa County22.6Ventura County: 22.4 %Ventura County22.4Santa Barbara County: 22.1 %Santa Barbara County22.1Solano County: 21.9 %Solano County21.9Orange County: 21.5 %Orange County21.5Shasta County: 21.4 %Shasta County21.4San Diego County: 21.4 %San Diego County21.4Santa Clara County: 21.2 %Santa Clara County21.2Los Angeles County: 20.9 %Los Angeles County20.9Lake County: 20.9 %Lake County20.9Yolo County: 20.8 %Yolo County20.8Butte County: 20.6 %Butte County20.6Mendocino County: 20.6 %Mendocino County20.6Del Norte County: 20.6 %Del Norte County20.6Alameda County: 20.5 %Alameda County20.5El Dorado County: 20.4 %El Dorado County20.4Inyo County: 20.2 %Inyo County20.2San Mateo County: 20.2 %San Mateo County20.2Modoc County: 20.1 %Modoc County20.1Marin County: 20 %Marin County20Napa County: 20 %Napa County20Mono County: 19.8 %Mono County19.8Sonoma County: 19.6 %Sonoma County19.6Humboldt County: 19.5 %Humboldt County19.5Siskiyou County: 19.5 %Siskiyou County19.5Santa Cruz County: 18.9 %Santa Cruz County18.9San Luis Obispo County: 18 %San Luis Obispo County18Calaveras County: 17.6 %Calaveras County17.6Nevada County: 17.4 %Nevada County17.4Plumas County: 17.4 %Plumas County17.4Mariposa County: 17.2 %Mariposa County17.2Lassen County: 17.1 %Lassen County17.1Tuolumne County: 16.9 %Tuolumne County16.9Sierra County: 16.2 %Sierra County16.2Amador County: 15.7 %Amador County15.7Trinity County: 15.7 %Trinity County15.7Alpine County: 15.3 %Alpine County15.3San Francisco County: 13.2 %San Francisco County13.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Tulare County30.1-0.1 pts
2Merced County28.8-0.2 pts
3Kern County28.6+0.2 pts
4Colusa County27.9-0.1 pts
5Fresno County27.80 pts
6Madera County27.8+0.3 pts
7Imperial County27.6+1 pts
8Yuba County27.1+0.2 pts
9Kings County26.9+0.3 pts
10San Joaquin County26.5-0 pts
11Stanislaus County26.5+0.1 pts
12Glenn County26+0.4 pts
13San Bernardino County25.8+0.2 pts
14Monterey County25.50 pts
15San Benito County25.4+0.1 pts
16Sutter County25.2-0.1 pts
17Riverside County24.9+0.1 pts
18Tehama County24.2+0.1 pts
19Sacramento County23.3-0 pts
20Placer County22.6-0.1 pts
21Contra Costa County22.6-0.2 pts
22Ventura County22.4-0 pts
23Santa Barbara County22.1+0.3 pts
24Solano County21.9+0.1 pts
25Orange County21.5+0.3 pts
26Shasta County21.4+0.2 pts
27San Diego County21.4+0.3 pts
28Santa Clara County21.2-0.1 pts
29Los Angeles County20.9+0.1 pts
30Lake County20.9+0.4 pts
31Yolo County20.8-0.3 pts
32Butte County20.6+0.2 pts
33Mendocino County20.6-0 pts
34Del Norte County20.6-0 pts
35Alameda County20.5-0 pts
36El Dorado County20.4-0 pts
37Inyo County20.2-0 pts
38San Mateo County20.2-0.2 pts
39Modoc County20.1-0.3 pts
40Marin County20-0.3 pts
41Napa County20-0.2 pts
42Mono County19.8-0.4 pts
43Sonoma County19.6-0.1 pts
44Humboldt County19.50 pts
45Siskiyou County19.5+0.3 pts
46Santa Cruz County18.9-0.1 pts
47San Luis Obispo County18-0 pts
48Calaveras County17.6+0.1 pts
49Nevada County17.4-0.1 pts
50Plumas County17.4+0.3 pts
51Mariposa County17.2+0.2 pts
52Lassen County17.1+0.7 pts
53Tuolumne County16.9+0.1 pts
54Sierra County16.2-0.2 pts
55Amador County15.7-0 pts
56Trinity County15.7-0.7 pts
57Alpine County15.3-0.8 pts
58San Francisco County13.2+0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of total population on 1 July. United States: Census Bureau county population estimates by age; states and the nation are sums of their counties.

Uses the US age of majority. Not comparable with population_0_14_share, which stops at 14.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties (Counties in California by population under 18, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html

MLA 9

Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in California by population under 18, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2026, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Counties in California by population under 18, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in California by population under 18, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in California by population under 18, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in California by population under 18, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/california-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in California by population under 18 using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest population under 18?

Tulare County, with 30.1% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population under 18?

San Francisco County, with 13.2% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population under 18: other rankings

Counties in California: more rankings