Child and young adult population by age and race

Part of: Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health data and reports

Population trend data are essential for public health program planning and evaluation. Changes in population size and demographic composition alter service need and may confound health impacts. Nationally, over the past decade, the child population decreased by 1.4%, while the total U.S. population increased by 7.4%. In 2020, the 0-17 age group accounted for 22.1% of the U.S. population and was more multi-racial than in 2010. Consistent with national trends, the child and young adult population in San Francisco is trending smaller and more diverse. Unlike national data, local data suggest a faster rate of decrease (-5%) for the 0-24 age group, and a child population share that is only about half the size of the child population nationwide.

• San Francisco’s child and young adult (age 0-24) population shrank by 5% from about 184,000 in 2010 to 175,200 in 2020, while the city as a whole grew by 8%.

• Over the decade, the age 0-24 population share decreased steadily from 22.8% to 20.2% of the total San Francisco population.

San Francisco had fewer older teens and young adults in 2020 than in 2010

• The decrease in the child and young adult population was not evenly distributed across age groups. Only the 15-19 and 20-24 age groups shrank in size. The share of the 0-24 population in the 15-24 age range dropped from 51.0% to 43.3%.

The number of young children in San Francisco increased, but remained low

• The younger child age groups (0-4, 5-9, and 10-14) increased in size between 2010 and 2020. The 0-19 age group increased by 3% from 115,100 to 118,500 children. In 2020, the 0-19 age group accounted for 13.7% of the total San Francisco population.

The number and proportion of multi-racial children and young adults increased

• The non-Hispanic (NH) multi-race group grew from about 11,400 to 14,900 children and young adults or by 30%, while all other race-ethnicity groups either declined or stayed the same.
• The racial composition of San Francisco’s child and young adult population shifted from 2010 to 2020. The multi-racial share of the 0-24 population increased from 6.2% to 8.5%.