Population 2,746 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sierra County
Household size in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.22 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Sierra County is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.46 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Only one other California county has 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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.3 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.9 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Sierra County skews older: half of its residents are older than 55.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Sierra County has the oldest population of any California county.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Sierra County: 0.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Sierra County has the lowest share of single-parent households of any California county.
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 Sierra County
Renters in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.9% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.9% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Sierra County rent their homes (27.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over four in ten owners (42.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Sierra County has a lower share of renters than the great majority of California counties.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.4% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +11.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 43.7% of the housing in Sierra County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only two of California's 58 counties have a higher vacancy rate.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Sierra County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1970, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Of California's 58 counties, only five have older homes.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $909 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $955 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,006 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,865 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$956 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sierra County costs $1,865 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in California as a whole ($2,229). The typical renter here spends 26.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Sierra County
Bachelor's degrees in Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.1% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Sierra County: 25.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.1% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.7% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sierra County is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Sierra County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California counties.
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 Sierra County
| Period | Sierra County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Sierra County: 13.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. No other California county has higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Sierra County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County | 2.24 | 55.9 | 0.7% | 27.9% | 43.7% | 1970 | $1,865 | 25.1% | 93.4% | 13.4% |
| Washoe County | 2.55 | 40.0 | 11.2% | 40.1% | 8.7% | 1991 | $1,933 | 34.1% | 88.9% | 5.0% |
| Butte County | 2.51 | 38.2 | 12.2% | 42.7% | 11.5% | 1979 | $1,463 | 32.1% | 90.3% | 8.1% |
| Glenn County | 2.94 | 37.6 | 14.5% | 38.8% | 12.3% | 1975 | $1,247 | 14.8% | 77.8% | 7.7% |
| Juab County | 3.27 | 31.9 | 9.4% | 16.2% | 6.0% | 1981 | $862 | 19.4% | 94.2% | 2.4% |
| Carbon County | 2.48 | 39.2 | 8.4% | 32.1% | 15.3% | 1966 | $884 | 19.1% | 92.5% | 6.5% |
| Garfield County | 2.66 | 38.2 | 9.0% | 30.4% | 7.2% | 1991 | $1,712 | 32.0% | 88.8% | 3.5% |
| Eagle County | 2.64 | 39.7 | 9.0% | 34.1% | 20.4% | 1995 | $2,051 | 50.5% | 94.9% | 4.2% |
| Summit County | 2.59 | 41.7 | 6.9% | 27.9% | 48.3% | 1989 | $2,266 | 54.7% | 96.0% | 4.2% |
| Clear Creek County | 1.99 | 49.2 | 5.2% | 18.4% | 15.1% | 1970 | $1,601 | 57.7% | 93.3% | 5.0% |
| Jefferson County | 2.43 | 41.3 | 7.8% | 29.3% | 5.8% | 1982 | $2,135 | 52.4% | 95.8% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Essex County, VT · Foard County, TX · Florida Municipio, PR · Florence County, WI · Fisher County, TX · Fillmore County, NE · Ferry County, WA · Fergus County, MT · Faulk County, SD · Fallon County, MT
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 Sierra County. 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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