United States › California › Sonora CITY
Sonora California · 4,866 residents (2025 est.) · 3.16 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Sonora is home to 4,919 people in California. 43% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 5%. At a median age of 42.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Density works out to 1,555 people per square mile. That trails the California median by roughly 17%.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Average education
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,423 in 2000
4,866 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,555 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 1,478 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 5K 5K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sonora Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $82,690
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,858 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,248 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 16.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.505 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Education & health services 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
Public administration 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$422,300
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $138,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,238
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $481 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 39.8% in 2000
57.2% rent
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 1.96 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 67.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 9.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.2%(3,814)
Hispanic / Latino 8.4%(372)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82.7%(4,066)
from 23 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 16.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 79.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 78.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 27.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 6.7%(23)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.2%(90)
Share of the 344 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Sonora Head to head
Compare Sonora to nearby cities SONORA VS
Oakdale
Income $83,091 same
Home value $457,900 +8%
Population 23,246 +378%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONORA VS
Waterford
Income $74,343 −10%
Home value $402,200 −5%
Population 9,258 +90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONORA VS
Riverbank
Income $87,966 +6%
Home value $463,200 +10%
Population 26,557 +446%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SONORA VS
Hughson
Income $91,557 +11%
Home value $511,200 +21%
Population 8,051 +65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sonora, California? Sonora, California has about 4,919 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sonora, California? The typical household in Sonora, California earns about $82,690 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sonora, California expensive? In Sonora, California, the median home is worth about $422,300, and the typical rent is about $1,238 a month.
How educated are people in Sonora, California? About 33.2% of adults age 25 and over in Sonora, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sonora, California? About 16.9% of people in Sonora, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sonora, California grown since 1990? Yes, Sonora, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 766 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 