Plumas County, California Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Plumas County is located in California with a total population of 19,423. It is the 51st most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 33 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Plumas County is 52.0 years. This is 37% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 12.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Plumas County is $66,031. This is 33% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.6%. This is 12% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 9.2%. This is 38% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $360,200. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.5x. 74.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Plumas County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (80.8% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (10.3%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

22.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Plumas County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.