2009-0724-CA-BearValley, 2009
Bear Valley’s story
168 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1858Bear Valley is settled
Bear ValleyCA
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
214
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$585K
Census ACS
Median age
57.5
years
Land area
7 sq mi
Is Bear Valley a good place to live?
20% of residents live below the poverty line in Bear Valley, above both California’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Bear Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Bear Valley stand out
Where Bear Valley beats most towns.
Small town
214 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Bear Valley: who provides what
Bear Valley is unincorporated, so Mariposa County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesMariposa CountyMariposa County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMariposa County Elections DepartmentMariposa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9533895338 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bear Valley.
Natural hazards
Bear Valley faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by wildfire
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Bear Valley, 36% come from wildfires and 32% from heat waves.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireHeat wavesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Bear Valley’s workers leave town for work
Half the trips to work are shorter than 59 miles. The top destinations are Mariposa (25%), Lodi (4%) and Stockton (4%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Bear Valley0%
Mariposa25%
Lodi4%
Stockton4%
Sparks4%
59 mi
median commute distance
0
jobs based in Bear Valley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–55°
Spring43–67°
Summer58–90°
Fall48–75°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bear Valley is
The share of adults in Bear Valley who sleep under 7 hours: 30%. This California town beats the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
| Bear Valley | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 31% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
32 measures vs. California
6 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Bear Valley | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11% | 14.9% |
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 22.4% | 28.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.6% | 6.4% |
John C Fremont Healthcare District
10 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bear Valley
15pages on Bear Valley
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bear Valley; the nearest are
University of California-MercedUniversity or college · Public · Merced21.4 mi$15,623 in-state tuitionMerced CollegeCommunity college · Public · Merced24.9 mi$1,200 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Bear Valley residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Bear Valley for work
Where Bear Valley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
0jobs based in Bear Valley
0%of working residents work in town
59 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bear Valley
Census-designated place in Mariposa County, California
Bear Valley (formerly Haydenville, Biddle's Camp, Biddleville, Simpsonville, and Johnsonville) is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California, United States. It is located 10.5 miles (16.9 km) south-southeast of Coulterville, at an elevation of 2,054 feet (626 m). Bear Valley has been designated California Historical Landmark #331. The population was 156 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,054 ft
- Area code
- 209
Questions about Bear Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bear Valley, CA a good place to live?
Bear Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.