Placentia California City Guide

Between 2010 and 2018, Placentia’s population grew 3%. In 2010, the population was about 50,530, and the population in 2018 was around 52,050. Placentia’s population density is 7,870, which is comparably higher than cities in this part of the state.

Placentia’s median resident age is 37.5. For context, this is roughly even with the U.S. median age and the state’s median age.

An estimated 49% of the population is male, and 51% of residents are female. The median male age is 35.7, and the median female age is 39.1.

77% of Placentia households are young families. Also, the average family size is 3.6.

71.4% of people living in Placentia are White, 17.4% are Asian, and 1.7% are Black or African American. Another 3.5% of the population is biracial or multiracial, and almost 1% of residents are American Indians and Alaska Natives.

The most common language spoken in this city is English, seeing as 62.5% of residents only speak this language. Another 23.5% of the population speaks Spanish. Also, 2.7% of residents are fluent in another Indo-European language, and 2.3% of residents speak Chinese, Mandarin, or Cantonese.

Around 24% of Placentia residents were born in another country. For reference, 27% of California’s population is foreign born.

In Placentia, there are 11 elementary schools, 5 middle school campuses, and 5 high schools available for students to attend. 84% of the city’s students attend public schools.

Out of all residents 25 years old and over, 86.4% are high school graduates. This tracks over the statewide average and is about even with the country’s average. At 14%, the high school dropout rate is slightly under California’s average.

Almost 24% of residents 25 years old and over have attended some college. Another 8.4% have earned an associate’s degree, and 38.6% hold a bachelor’s degree. Also, 13.5% of adult residents hold a graduate degree or a professional degree.

The median property value in Placentia sits at $734K, which isn’t too impressive for California, but is one of the most expensive median values in the country.

1.7% of real estate in the city is worth over $1.2 million, and 12.5% of properties range between $921K-$1.2 million. The majority of properties at 45.5% are valued between $614K-$921K, and 16.7% of real estate varies between $491K-$614K. 10.6% of real estate is worth between $368K-$491K, and 4.7% of properties range from $245K-$368K. 8.3% of real estate is worth under $245K.

California homes tend to have high appreciation rates, and Placentia is no different. Between specifically December 2009 and December 2019, real estate in the city appreciated a total of 51.09%, which breaks down into an average annual home appreciation rate of 4.21%. This number is among the highest 20% nationally, which bodes well for local homeowners.

Of the city’s total housing options, 64.3% of Placentia residences are owner-occupied, and 35.7% of properties are rented. The vacancy rate in the city tracks around 2.4%.

3.1% of properties in Placentia were built in or before 1939, and 32.5% of properties were constructed between 1940-1969. The majority of homes at 54.6% were built between 1970-1999, and 9.8% of housing options in the city were constructed in 2000 or later years.

64.2% of properties in Placentia are single family homes, and 16.6% of housing options are apartment complexes. 11.8% of properties are condominiums and attached residences, and 7.4% of properties are small apartment buildings.

7.8% of housing options have 1 bedroom layouts, and 24.9% of properties have 2 bedrooms. 31.3% of Placentia properties have 3 bedrooms, and 29.8% have 4 bedrooms. Just 6.2% of housing options in the city have 5 or more bedrooms.

The average salary in Placentia is $73K, and the median household income in this part of California is about $90K. For context, the per capita income in Placentia is $36K.

Placentia’s unemployment rate tracks slightly under 5%, and less than 10% of the population lives in poverty. Around 4% of the population earns under $15K each year, and 9.2% earn between $15K-$25K annually. Another 12.4% of residents earn $25K-$35K, while 19.3% make $35K-$50K each year.

From there, 13.4% of Placentia residents make $50K-$65K annually. Almost 20% of residents earn between $65K-$100K each year, and 22.2% earn over $100K annually.