Philo Haven, 1893
Sierra City’s story
162 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1893 and 3 maps from 1955 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1864Sierra City is settled
Sierra CityCA
With 250 residents, this town was settled in 1864.
Population
250
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$327K
+0.4% in a year
Household income
$96K
median
Median age
72.3
years
Jobs based here
21
A commuter town
Is Sierra City a good place to live?
Sierra City’s midpoint age is 72.3 years, where California’s towns sit at 39 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. No town among the 848 in California we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Sierra City. 41% of the land in Sierra City is conserved, above both the California town median (4.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Sierra City School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sierra City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
250 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Sierra City: who provides what
Sierra City is unincorporated, so Sierra County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSierra Water Resources - Sierra CityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesSierra CountySierra 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 hereSierra County Clerk-ElectionsSierra County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9612596125 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 Sierra City.
Who lives here
77% of residents are 65 or older
College graduates make up 34% of adults 25 and older, against 37% across California.
72.3median age · CA 37.9
Sierra CityCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
56%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school34%
Some college9%
Associate’s23%
Bachelor’s5%
Graduate28%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.6 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women. Among residents 75 and older, 74% are women (CA 58%).
| Sierra City | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 0% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 22.8% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 0% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 56% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 21.2% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 9.2% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.8% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 5.2% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 28.4% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Sierra City is inland flooding, at a very high overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects in Sierra City, 43% come from inland flooding and 41% from wildfires. Compared with 99% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is higher.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
$327KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sierra City$327K
California$762K
+0.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Protected land: nearly a third of Sierra City
Trails total 5.2 miles in 2 parks and preserves. Tahoe National Forest, at 544 acres with 3.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. The concentration of trails in Sierra City is 2.5 miles per square mile.
41.4%conserved
41.4%
conserved · 567 of 1,369 acres
5.2 mi
of trails · 2.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tahoe National Forest | 3.9 mi | 544 |
| 2. Sierra City Community Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
Sierra City has 0.3 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Half of commuters travel less than 38 miles. The share of residents in Sierra City who live below the poverty line: 3.2%. The top destinations are Downieville (14%), Loyalton (12%) and Truckee (6%).
0%work in town
| Sierra City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Sierra City0%
Downieville14%
Loyalton12%
Truckee6%
Reno5%
38 mi
median commute distance
21
jobs based in Sierra City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
81°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–44°
Spring33–55°
Summer49–78°
Fall38–63°
Oct 29
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
81°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sierra City is
Among adults in Sierra City, 33% feel lonely. Against the California average, Sierra City comes out ahead on 6 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 10. Two figures for adults in the town: 15% have diabetes, 26% say their health is fair or poor.
| Sierra City | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 19% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. California
6 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Sierra City | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.1% | 14.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 5.1% |
Eastern Plumas Hospital - Portola Campus
18.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sierra City
17pages on Sierra City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sierra City; the nearest are
Feather River Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Quincy32.1 mi$1,465 in-state tuitionUniversity of Nevada-RenoUniversity or college · Public · Reno, NV43.3 mi$9,578 in-state tuitionButte CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oroville54.4 mi$1,356 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Sierra City residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Sierra City for work
Where Sierra City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
21jobs based in Sierra City
0%of working residents work in town
38 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sierra City
Census-designated place in California, United States
Sierra City (Sierra, Spanish for "mountain range") is a census-designated place in Sierra County, California, United States. The elevation of Sierra City is 4,147 feet (1,264 m), and the town is situated in the canyon of the North Yuba River on California State Route 49, twelve miles northeast of the county seat of Sierra County, Downieville. The population was 235 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,407 ft
- ZIP code
- 96125
Questions about Sierra City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sierra City, CA a good place to live?
Sierra City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.