Valley Springs, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 910, Valley Springs'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

Valley Springs is a small community located in California, within Calaveras County. The total population is 910. It ranks as the 1087th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Valley Springs is 42.6 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 2.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 18.0% 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 Valley Springs is $45,786. This is 54% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.2%. This is 109% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 10.4%. This is 58% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $286,200. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 37% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Valley Springs is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 22.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (77.5% vs 33.8%).

Education

12.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 66% 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 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Valley Springs, 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.