78% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Soda Springs, above both California’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Of the 848 California towns we compare, none has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Soda Springs. Soda Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Soda Springs Jan 75x4, 1975

Soda Springs’s story

151 years in pictures

The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1975 and 3 maps from 1955 on.

1875Soda Springs is settled

Explore the history →

Small town

150 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Truckee · 10 mi

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Soda Springs.

Natural hazards

Top of a very high hazard risk in Soda Springs: wildfire

99risk score of 100

Federal aid has come to Soda Springs households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2023. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 99% of U.S. communities. Half of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 28%.

FEMA risk score

WildfireInland floodingAvalanches

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSoda Springs’ hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters2 federal disasters · Paid out in Soda Springs Get readyReady for wildfire

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Soda Springs, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers

445″snow a winter

Soda Springs’ typical July afternoon high is 77°F.

Typical low → high °F

Winter23–42°

Spring29–51°

Summer45–73°

Fall35–59°

Sep 25

typical first frost

Jun 9

typical last frost

+1.1°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageSoda Springs’ climate pageOpen the full Climate page

A year of weatherJuly highs 77°, January lows 23°Rain & snow445″ of snow a winter · 56 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.1° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Soda Springs is

Against the California average, Soda Springs comes out ahead on 3 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 6. For adults here, the share who had a checkup this year is 72%. Among adults here, 25% have been diagnosed with depression and 18% binge drink.

	Soda Springs	California towns	U.S. towns
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	72%	72%	79%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	25%	22%	23%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	18%	16%	16%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	16%	11%	14%

32 measures vs. California

3 better23 too close to call6 worse

What stands out	Soda Springs	CA
Fewer uninsured adults	6.6%	10.6%
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth	7.4%	10.6%
More adults with COPD	7.5%	5.1%

Tahoe Forest Hospital

9.5 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: mental health

Full pageSoda Springs’ health reportOpen the full Health report

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby9.5 miles to an ER · Tahoe Forest Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than CA on 3 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Housing

The typical home in Soda Springs: about $776K

$776KZillow home value

Home values are up 6.4% over the year to September 2026.

Typical home value

Soda Springs$776K

California$762K

+6.4%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in September

Full pageSoda Springs’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the full Housing & cost-of-living page

Prices over the yearsUp 6.4% in a year Years of income to buyYears of income to buy RentsRents

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Soda Springs

14pages on Soda Springs

The big questions

HealthBetter than CA on 3 of 32 CDC measures Cost of living$776K typical home · up 6.4% in a year Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 99% of U.S. communities · wildfire

Out and about

PlacesAttractions38 nearby · Donner Ski Ranch 2 mi LibraryTruckee Library Colleges

The story

HistorySettled 1875 Climate77° summer highs · 445″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors

Nearby attractions

Lake Tahoe and 32 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Soda Springs. Close and well known come first.

All 38 attractions →

Big draw25 mi LakeLake Tahoe

6 mi LakeDonner Lake

12 mi Ski areaPalisades Tahoe Olympic Valley122 runs · 2,542 ft vertical 3 mi Ski areaSugar Bowl Resort94 runs · 1,452 ft vertical

7 mi State parkDonner Memorial State Park

34 mi Stadium & arenaMackay Stadium

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Lake Tahoe: Lara Farhadi, CC BY 2.0 · Donner Lake: J.smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Palisades Tahoe Olympic Valley: Jonnyboyca at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Donner Memorial State Park: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, CC BY 2.0 · Mackay Stadium: Lanski, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Soda Springs: who provides what

Soda Springs is unincorporated, so Nevada County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterDonner Summit Public Utility District1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesNevada CountyNevada County provides services here

SchoolsTahoe-Truckee Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereNevada County Clerk - ElectionsNevada County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025

ZIP code9572895728 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.

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Soda Springs; the nearest are

Western Nevada CollegeCommunity college · Public · Carson City, NV32.9 mi$4,168 in-state tuition University of Nevada-RenoUniversity or college · Public · Reno, NV33.6 mi$9,578 in-state tuition Lake Tahoe Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · South Lake Tahoe35.1 mi$1,131 in-state tuition

About 0 of every 100 Soda Springs residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Soda Springs

Unincorporated community in the United States

Soda Springs (formerly, Summit Valley, Soda Springs Station, Hopkins, Hopkins Springs, and Tinkers Station) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Nevada County, California, United States. Soda Springs is located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Donner Pass. The population was 94 at the 2020 census. The Soda Springs Mountain Resort is located just off Highway 80 near Donner Summit. Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort, one of the largest in North America, is located about one mile southwest of Soda Springs.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 0.3 sq mi
Elevation: 6,768 ft
Area code: 530

Questions about Soda Springs

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Soda Springs, CA a good place to live?

Soda Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Soda Springs is in here

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