Sierra City, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 250, Sierra City'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

Sierra City is a small community located in California, within Sierra County. The total population is 250. It ranks as the 1341st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Sierra City is 72.3 years. This is 91% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 21.2% 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 Sierra City is $95,696. This is 3% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 19% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.2%. This is 73% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Sierra City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $381,700. Housing costs are 48% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Sierra City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.0% of all residents. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.0% vs 33.8%).

Education

33.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 28.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Sierra City, 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.