Rough and Ready, 2007
Rough and Ready’s story
176 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,595 in 2000, 905 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 1850Rough and Ready is settled
Rough and ReadyCA
Photo: Cullen328 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
736
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$516K
−0.9% in a year
Household income
$103K
median
Median age
56.0
years
Jobs based here
34
A commuter town
Settled
1850
176 years ago
Is Rough and Ready a good place to live?
Rough and Ready’s age of the median resident is 56 years, above both the California town median (39 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Only 4 of the 848 California towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Rough and Ready. Rough and Ready has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Rough and Ready stand out
Where Rough and Ready beats most towns.
Small town
736 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Rough and Ready.
Who lives here
40% of residents are 65 or older
56median age · CA 37.9
California has 37% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 40%.
Rough and ReadyCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
28%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school19%
Some college20%
Associate’s19%
Bachelor’s31%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 17% and 92% women
The Census survey reached too few of Rough and Ready’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±37.5 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Rough and Ready | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 23% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 28.3% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.5% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.1% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.9% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 30.5% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Top of a very high hazard risk in Rough and Ready: wildfire
91risk score of 100
Compared with 91% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Rough and Ready is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 35% come from wildfires and 31% from inland flooding. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2023.
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingAvalanches
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Rough and Ready’s workers commute out
0%work in town
For working residents in Rough and Ready, the share who work locally is 0.3%. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 20, to 34. Also worth knowing: in Rough and Ready, the median household income is $103,000. Half commute less than 22 miles.
| Rough and Ready | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.3% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $103,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Rough and Ready0%
Grass Valley21%
Nevada City7%
Penn Valley5%
Sacramento5%
22 mi
median commute distance
34
jobs based in Rough and Ready
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A home in Rough and Ready is worth about $516K, on Zillow’s estimate
$516KZillow home value
Four fifths of Rough and Ready households own their home. In Rough and Ready, the going rate for rent is $1,214 a month.
| Rough and Ready | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,214 a month | $1,896 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Rough and Ready$516K
California$762K
−0.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Rough and Ready: four seasons and hot summers
9″snow a winter
The peak summer temperature for Rough and Ready comes to 92°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–55°
Spring45–67°
Summer60–89°
Fall50–74°
Nov 13
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Rough and Ready is
The share of adults in Rough and Ready who worry about having enough food: 12%. This California town beats the California average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. Two figures for adults in the town: 38% have high blood pressure, 25% have been diagnosed with depression.
| Rough and Ready | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
32 measures vs. California
11 better12 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Rough and Ready | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.8% | 10.6% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.5% | 10.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 6.4% |
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
4.9 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 Rough and Ready
15pages on Rough and Ready
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Rough and Ready: who provides what
Rough and Ready is unincorporated, so Nevada County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNevada Id - E. George, Banner Mountain water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesNevada CountyNevada County provides services here
SchoolsNevada Joint Union High School DistrictPenn Valley Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Rough and Ready; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereNevada County Clerk - ElectionsNevada County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes95975, 95959, 9594595975 80% · 95959 19% · 95945 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Rough and Ready for work
Where Rough and Ready’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
34jobs based in Rough and Ready
0%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Rough and Ready; the nearest are
Yuba CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marysville22.8 mi$1,128 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-SacramentoUniversity or college · Public · Sacramento49.1 mi$8,018 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Rough and Ready residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Rough and Ready
Census-designated place in California, United States
Rough and Ready is a census-designated place in Nevada County, California, United States. It is located west of Grass Valley, California, approximately 62 miles (100 km) from Sacramento. The population was 905 at the 2020 census. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1850
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,896 ft
- ZIP code
- 95975
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Rough and Ready
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rough and Ready, CA a good place to live?
Rough and Ready has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Rough and Ready is in here
Say something about Rough and Ready.
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