United States › California › Plumas County COUNTY
Plumas County California · 18,583 residents (2025 est.) · 2,553 sq mi
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The short version
Plumas County is home to 19,423 people in California. The median age is 52.0, about 13 years above the US median. There are 8 people per square mile. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. Households here earn about 33% less than in California as a whole. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock.
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 from 20,824 in 2000
18,583 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 8 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 19K 20K 20K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Plumas County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,031
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,351 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,391 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.446 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.6%
Education & health services 1.7%
Public administration 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$360,200
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $128,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,194
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $525 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.0% in 2000
25.4% rent
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.37 people
+17%since 2009
from 2.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 6.4 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 88.7%(18,473)
Hispanic / Latino 5.7%(1,177)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 80.8%(15,700)
Hispanic / Latino 10.3%(1,998)
from 30 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
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 Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 6.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.1%(2,286)
Women 15+
Never married 18.1%(1,510)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 29.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.2% 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) 22.5%(357)
Share of the 1,589 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Plumas County Head to head
Compare Plumas County to nearby counties PLUMAS COUNTY VS
Sierra County
Income $63,355 −4%
Home value $331,900 −8%
Population 3,098 −83%
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PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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Home value $621,800 +73%
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PLUMAS COUNTY VS
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Income $67,403 +2%
Home value $265,300 −26%
Population 28,117 +51%
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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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