Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 3,174, settled in 1850. 2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical California town.
Trash day: TuesdayNevada City's crime rate is higher than 97% of U.S. towns, with 52 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Overall it grades C+, 330th of 841 graded towns in California. It is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $552K, 6.1 years of the Truckee area’s $90K median household income. Nevada City’s violent crime rate is 16.2 per 1,000 residents, above both the California town median (2.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6). Only 15 of California’s 426 towns score lower on safety. Nevada City's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Where Nevada City beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Census counts: 4,022 in 1880, 3,152 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1851 and 5 maps from 1948 on.
9 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Nevada City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nevada City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Nevada City.
Nevada City draws workers from Grass Valley and beyond and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of California; it also reports violent crime at 4 times the California rate.
6.8 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Nevada City is 3.1 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Hirschman's Pond, at 37 acres.
| Nevada City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 3.1 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.1% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hirschman's Pond | 0.7 mi | 37 |
| 2. Pioneer Park | 0.1 mi | 15 |
| 3. Tobiassen Park | — | 11 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Nevada County Office of Education school district. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Hills IntermediateLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–8 | Grades 4–8 | 432 | B+ |
| Forest CharterLargest public high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 845 | – |
| Deer Creek ElementaryTop results in townGrades K–3 | Grades K–3 | 259 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Violent crime runs at 16.2 per 1,000 residents, 4 times the California rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−.
Nevada City reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 97% report less.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
3,332 jobs are based in Nevada City, 3.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 21 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Nevada City for work: only 16% work in town. Nevada City’s average trip to work is 21 minutes. Jobs based in Nevada City grew to 3,332 in 2023, 494 more than in 2013.
| Nevada City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 10% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
30% of adults feel lonely in Nevada City. Nevada City beats the California average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Nevada City.
| Nevada City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 29% | 35% |
| What stands out | Nevada City | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.7% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.4% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 2002, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Nevada City.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical value, about $552K, is 11% below its June 2022 peak. At about $552K, home values are down 5% in five years, against a rise of 13% across California.
54% of Nevada City households own their home. The typical Nevada City home is worth about $552,000, up 0.6% in a year, 28% below the California typical home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Nevada City weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 218 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 82% of California places with climate records. January nights average 35.1°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 80% of California places with climate records; July afternoons average 88.8°.
Nevada City has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. About 15 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Nevada City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 35°F | 41°F | 22°F |
| July high | 89°F | 89°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Nevada City; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Nevada City residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Where Nevada City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
9 places in Nevada City on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 notable people were born in Nevada City.
City in California, United States
Nevada City is a city in and the county seat of Nevada County, California, United States, 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Sacramento, 84 miles (135 km) southwest of Reno and 147 miles (237 km) northeast of San Francisco. The population was 3,152 as of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Nevada City grades C+ overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #330 of 841 in California. It grades A for health, D− for safety and B+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
7 notable people were born here, including Tully Marshall and Alela Diane.
