Riverside, California Population 2023

318,337

Riverside is a city located in Riverside County California. It is also the county seat of Riverside County. With a 2023 population of 318,337, it is the 13th largest city in California and the 65th largest city in the United States.Riverside is currently growing at a rate of 0.35% annually and its population has increased by 1.06% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 314,998 in 2020. Spanning over 82 miles, Riverside has a population density of 3,918 people per square mile.

The average household income in Riverside is $85,486 with a poverty rate of 15.69%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Riverside is 31.8 years, 30.8 years for males, and 33.1 years for females.

Riverside was first founded during the 1800s, and it is most known for its role within California’s citrus industry.

Riverside Population Statistics

The most common religion observed throughout Riverside is Christianity, with many Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic churches located throughout the area. There are also Mormons, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists, as well as other organizations such as the Inland Empire Atheists and Agnostics.

The city’s economy is based around light-industry and the manufacturing sector. Engineering, technology, and banking are also important. The citrus industry still contributes to the economy but has declined in recent years. The top employer in the city is the County of Riverside, which employs nearly 12,000 residents.

Riverside Population Growth

Riverside, throughout its history, has seen steady growth in population. Between the first censuses in 1890 and 1900, the city’s population grew by over 70%. By the 1970s, the city had over 100,000 inhabitants. By the 1990s, the city had over 200,000 residents. It reached another population milestone in 2010 when its population exceeded 300,000. Recent estimates show that since the last official population in 2010, the community has grown by almost 7%, indicating that while growth has slowed, it will continue on a steady upward trajectory into the future.

The Serrano and Cahuilla people first inhabited the site of what is now Riverside. The first official record of the area was recorded in the 1770s following the exploration of Juan Bautista De Anza. It was officially founded much later, however, in 1869, although some sources claim that it wasn’t founded until the 1870s. It was in 1873 that seedless oranges from Brazil were planted, and Riverside’s temperate climate and other conditions were found to be favorable for growing the oranges, leading to a thriving citrus industry. Less than ten years later, close to half of the 500,000 citrus trees in the state were located in Riverside.

By 1900, Riverside’s thriving industry, combined with refrigerated railroad cars and irrigation systems made Riverside the richest city in the country. It was during this time that the Glenwood Tavern was established. This hotel, which was later renamed the Mission Inn, was visited by many presidents. The city throughout the years continued to grow as many people moved here because of the beautiful homes and prosperous economy.

Riverside Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Riverside was:

  • White: 52.81%
  • Other race: 24.15%
  • Asian: 8.74%
  • Two or more races: 7.26%
  • Black or African American: 5.89%
  • Native American: 0.84%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.3%
The current population of Riverside, California is 318,337 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 314,998.

Riverside, California Population 2023

Riverside Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

White

Other race

Asian

Two or more races

Black or African American

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Riverside Population by Race

Riverside Population Pyramid 2023

Riverside Median Age

31.8

Total

30.8

Male

33.1

Female

Riverside Adults

There are 248,964 adults, (36,271 of whom are seniors) in Riverside.

Riverside Age Dependency

54

Age Dependency Ratio

17.1

Old Age Dependency Ratio

37

Child Dependency Ratio

Riverside Sex Ratio

Female164,33650.17%
Male163,23349.83%

Riverside Population by Age

Riverside Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.94

Average Family Size

3.44

Average Household Size

54.9%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Riverside Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Riverside Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Riverside Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 79.28%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 36.69%.

Riverside Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$37,768

Average Earnings

$41,832

Average Male

$32,970

Average Female

Riverside Earnings by Educational Attainment

Riverside Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Riverside Language

53.99% of Riverside residents speak only English, while 46.01% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 36.87% of the population.

Riverside Language

Riverside Poverty by Race

rate

15.69%

Overall Poverty Rate

12.54%

Male Poverty Rate

13.94%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Riverside

The race most likely to be in poverty in Riverside is Native, with 20.52% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Riverside is White, with 10.63% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.18%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.89%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.06%.

Riverside Poverty

Riverside Poverty Rate by Education

Riverside Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Riverside Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Riverside Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

42.0%

Overall Marriage Rate

43.6%

Male Marriage Rate

40.5%

Female Marriage Rate

Riverside Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Riverside Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Riverside Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Riverside Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

11,597

Number of Veterans

10,484

Male Veterans

1,113

Female Veterans

Riverside Veterans by War

Riverside Veterans by Age

count

Riverside Veterans by Race

Riverside Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

8.71%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.96%

Veteran Disability Rate

Riverside Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

62.6%

Labor Force Participation

58.5%

Employment Rate

6.5%

Unemployment Rate

Riverside Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Riverside Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Riverside Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

66.4%

Born in Riverside

80.39%

Native Born

23.6%

Foreign Born

11.37%

Non Citizen

12.23%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

80.39% of Riverside residents were born in the United States, with 66.4% having been born in California. 11.37% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Riverside Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Riverside Population by Year