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COUNTY

Plumas County

California · 18,583 residents (2025 est.) · 2,553.062 sq mi
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#137Oldest by median ageof 3,14452.0#139Fastest shrinkingof 3,135-6.1%
The short version

Plumas County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $66,031. Population has declined 7% since 2000. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $360,200. With a median age of 52.0, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 33% less than the California median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 52.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,423
−7%since 2000
from 20,824 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
8 / sq mi
−5%since 2009
from 8 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
52.0
+18%since 2000
from 44.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:18,583 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
18K19K20K20K21K1990201020202024Plumas County
202419K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.3%(844)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(988)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.3%(836)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.7%(911)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.4%(664)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.3%(2,007)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.8%(2,094)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.4%(1,835)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.1%(3,130)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7419.4%(3,777)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.9%(1,721)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.2%(616)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$66,031
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,351 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$43,235
+123%since 2000
from $19,391 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.8%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.6%
−2.5 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.486
+9%since 2010
from 0.446 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing8.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Retail trade8.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Construction8.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade6.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Public administration1.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Manufacturing0.8%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$360,200
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $128,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,194
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $525 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.6%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 70.0% in 2000
25.4% rent
Vacancy rate
46.0%
+13.6 ptssince 2009
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
31.9%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 43.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.5
−14%since 2009
from 6.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
20
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Plumas County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic88.7%(18,473)
Black0.6%(130)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(1,177)
Asian0.5%(107)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80.8%(15,700)
Black1%(187)
Hispanic / Latino10.3%(1,998)
Asian0.8%(153)
Other7.1%(1,385)
Diversity Score
41
+36%since 2009
from 30 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
19
−2%since 2020
from 20 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.6%(1,286)
Puerto Rican0.7%(136)
Salvadoran0.6%(109)
Spaniard0.5%(99)
Cuban0.2%(39)
Ecuadorian0.1%(28)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(100)
Bangladeshi0.4%(80)
Chinese0.1%(13)
Korean0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(15)
Ancestry
German17.7%(3,446)
English16.4%(3,177)
Irish9.7%(1,892)
Italian6.6%(1,290)
Portuguese3.1%(598)
American2.7%(520)
Scottish2.1%(413)
French2%(391)
Swedish1.9%(376)
Polish1.2%(237)
Norwegian1.1%(208)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.9%(166)
Hungarian0.8%(159)
Canadian0.8%(158)
Czech0.8%(150)
Danish0.7%(133)
Russian0.6%(116)
Austrian0.6%(115)
Welsh0.5%(101)
Dutch0.5%(95)
Nigerian0.3%(52)
British0.2%(37)
Swiss0.1%(28)
Greek0.1%(19)
Armenian0.1%(12)
Finnish0.1%(12)
Guyanese0.1%(10)
Arab0%(9)
Belgian0%(5)
Iranian0%(5)
Slovene0%(2)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
22.5%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.7%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.8 min
+27%since 2000
from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
12.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.6%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
9.2%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
46.7%
−8.3 ptssince 2011
from 55.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
22.5%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.1%
−28.0 ptssince 2009
from 61.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Female
48.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Foreign born
4.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
9.9%
−39.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
24.6%
+6.7 ptssince 2012
from 17.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.8%
−75.9 ptssince 2013
from 81.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.5%
+15.1 ptssince 2017
from 70.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 90.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.3%
−1.2 ptssince 2016
from 6.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married27.1%(2,286)
Married53.9%(4,542)
Widowed4.2%(354)
Divorced14.7%(1,242)
Women 15+
Never married18.1%(1,510)
Married49%(4,083)
Widowed12.2%(1,013)
Divorced20.7%(1,725)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Plumas County to nearby counties

PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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Income$63,355−4%
Home value$331,900−8%
Population3,098−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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Income$67,928+3%
Home value$424,700+18%
Population209,211+1026%
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PLUMAS COUNTY VS
Nevada County
Income$89,882+36%
Home value$621,800+73%
Population101,911+448%
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PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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Income$67,403+2%
Home value$265,300−26%
Population28,117+51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Plumas County, California?

Plumas County, California has about 19,423 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Plumas County, California?

The typical household in Plumas County, California earns about $66,031 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Plumas County, California expensive?

In Plumas County, California, the median home is worth about $360,200, and the typical rent is about $1,194 a month.

How educated are people in Plumas County, California?

About 22.5% of adults age 25 and over in Plumas County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Plumas County, California?

About 10.6% of people in Plumas County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Plumas County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Plumas County, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 316 residents, a change of about -2 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

7 census tracts
Census Tract 1Census Tract 3Census Tract 5.02Census Tract 4Census Tract 5.01Census Tract 2.01Census Tract 2.02
16 ZIP codes
ZIP 95971ZIP 96122ZIP 96020ZIP 95947ZIP 96103ZIP 96105ZIP 95956ZIP 96129ZIP 95983ZIP 96106ZIP 95981ZIP 95923ZIP 95934ZIP 95984ZIP 96135ZIP 95915
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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