Potter Valley, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 436, Potter Valley's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Potter Valley is a small community located in California, within Mendocino County. The total population is 436. It ranks as the 1250th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Potter Valley is 49.4 years. This is 30% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 10.8% 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 Potter Valley is $121,071. This is 22% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 50% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.4%. This is 64% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 2.1%. This is 68% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $635,900. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.3x. 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Potter Valley is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 31.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (56.6% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

29.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 19% 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 96.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Potter Valley, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.