Population 38,751 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Grass Valley
Household size in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Grass Valley are small: just 2.35 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Only 60 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.0 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.3 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.2 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.2, Grass Valley is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 48.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 46 are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Grass Valley (10.3%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Grass Valley
Renters in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.2% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Grass Valley is about as common as it is nationally: 34.0% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in California overall (44.1%). More than four in ten owners (42.9%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Grass Valley is close to the national rate: 9.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in California overall (7.3%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Grass Valley was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,138 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,192 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,339 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,644 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$506 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Grass Valley costs $1,644 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in California overall ($2,229). Rent has climbed $506 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Grass Valley
Bachelor's degrees in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Grass Valley (32.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in California as a whole (36.3%). The share with a degree has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.0% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Grass Valley is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Grass Valley
| Period | Grass Valley | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Grass Valley than nationally: unemployment was 7.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Grass Valley compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Valley | 2.35 | 50.2 | 10.3% | 34.0% | 9.4% | 1978 | $1,644 | 32.8% | 94.0% | 7.0% |
| Alta Sierra | 2.41 | 49.7 | 6.3% | 13.2% | 5.7% | 1983 | $1,927 | 38.2% | 96.4% | 3.4% |
| Rough And Ready | 2.26 | 60.8 | 4.8% | 9.1% | 7.0% | 1986 | $1,630 | 38.7% | 94.7% | 2.9% |
| Nevada City | 2.36 | 53.3 | 7.6% | 20.1% | 17.5% | 1980 | $1,741 | 44.8% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Shady Glen | 2.40 | 51.1 | 6.2% | 17.3% | 7.2% | 1984 | $1,428 | 33.9% | 95.2% | 9.0% |
| Penn Valley | 2.44 | 53.4 | 3.8% | 15.1% | 11.2% | 1984 | $2,140 | 37.3% | 94.6% | 1.5% |
| Colfax | 2.55 | 47.0 | 6.7% | 23.8% | 9.5% | 1984 | $1,614 | 29.1% | 93.8% | 7.8% |
| Magra | 2.51 | 50.7 | 6.7% | 14.0% | 15.6% | 1989 | $1,752 | 18.6% | 77.5% | 5.4% |
| Sweetland | 2.33 | 49.8 | 2.3% | 24.0% | 2.6% | 1979 | $1,012 | 29.6% | 94.6% | 4.9% |
| Weimar | 2.44 | 49.8 | 5.3% | 24.6% | 4.3% | 1985 | $1,626 | 22.7% | 96.1% | 13.4% |
| Gold Run | 2.52 | 47.0 | 7.1% | 13.9% | 23.1% | 1984 | $1,417 | 23.4% | 85.2% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Adelanto, CA · Calexico, CA · Brighton, NY · Braintree Town, MA · Blackwood, NJ · Belleville, NJ · Parkland, WA · Phoenixville, PA · Plainfield, IN · Portage, IN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Grass Valley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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