Population 19,832 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sonora
Household size in Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Sonora are small: just 2.30 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 51 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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.5 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.0 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.0 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Sonora skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 47.5, mirroring the country. Only 62 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people 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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Sonora than nationally: 10.1%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points, 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 Sonora
Renters in Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.1% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Sonora is about as common as it is nationally: 34.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in California as a whole (44.1%). Nearly four in ten owners (37.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.8 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.7% of the housing in Sonora, 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. Vacancy has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Sonora was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in California as a whole, where the median home dates to 1976. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,043 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $907 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,099 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,423 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$380 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Sonora pays $1,423 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $380 a month from 2006–10, a 36% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the south.
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 Sonora
Bachelor's degrees in Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.9% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.3% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.5% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.4 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Sonora (26.5%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.1% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.1% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.2% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sonora: 95.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points, in line with the national trend. Sonora has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five California cities.
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 Sonora
| Period | Sonora | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Sonora: 6.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Sonora 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonora | 2.30 | 48.5 | 10.1% | 34.1% | 13.7% | 1981 | $1,423 | 26.5% | 95.2% | 6.9% |
| Phoenix Lake | 2.30 | 55.4 | 5.7% | 10.2% | 8.8% | 1983 | $1,648 | 26.7% | 93.8% | 7.1% |
| Columbia | 2.16 | 49.4 | 22.6% | 36.4% | 20.0% | 1978 | $1,219 | 22.9% | 92.4% | 10.9% |
| Soulsbyville | 2.68 | 44.4 | 3.3% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 1982 | $1,270 | 22.8% | 94.4% | 8.8% |
| Standard | 2.02 | 62.8 | 3.7% | 7.3% | 25.2% | 1979 | $1,611 | 22.5% | 98.7% | 3.8% |
| Jamestown | 2.26 | 44.4 | 11.2% | 34.7% | 10.5% | 1980 | $1,168 | 15.9% | 95.5% | 8.6% |
| Tuolumne | 2.40 | 53.7 | 4.5% | 22.2% | 13.8% | 1976 | $1,237 | 21.7% | 92.8% | 3.1% |
| Quartz | 2.68 | 46.2 | 19.6% | 18.1% | 20.4% | 1980 | $1,368 | 9.3% | 93.5% | 14.5% |
| Tuttletown | 2.73 | 57.6 | 14.4% | 10.2% | 18.8% | 1982 | $1,349 | 26.7% | 98.0% | 11.6% |
| Twain Harte | 2.34 | 47.4 | 6.3% | 16.8% | 45.3% | 1977 | $1,680 | 38.0% | 95.3% | 3.9% |
| Vallecito | 2.09 | 56.7 | 4.0% | 14.3% | 25.2% | 1991 | $1,763 | 34.1% | 97.8% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Semmes, AL · Fort Bragg, NC · Fort Payne, AL · Fulshear, TX · Fulton, NY · Glastonbury, CT · Glen Avon, CA · Grain Valley, MO · Harrison, OH · Seabrook, MD
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 Sonora. 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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