City · California
Portola, California
Portola, city, in Plumas County, California. Portola had 2,024 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,100 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,441 (±485). GEOID 0658352.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,024
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,100 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,441 ±485
Median household income
$44,492
±$6,885 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$231,300
±$27,415 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$819
±$237 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Portola and what county is it in?
Portola is a city in Plumas County, California. It covers 5.4 square miles of land, 388 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Portola, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,024 people lived in Portola on July 1, 2025, down 3.2% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 2,100 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,441 (±485).
| Measure | Portola | Plumas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,441 ±485 | 19,423 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,008 ±200 | 8,054 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.41 ±0.38 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,201 ±224 | 14,921 | no clear change |
Portola's population since 2000
From 2,227 in 2000 to 2,024 in 2025: down 9.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Portola as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Portola?
The median resident of Portola is 40.6 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 27.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 72.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.7%.
| Measure | Portola | Plumas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±5.3 | 52.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±7.1 pts | 17.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.5% ±8.5 pts | 31.5% | – |
| Male | 44.0% ±6.1 pts | 51.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.7% ±9.5 pts | 10.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 72.8% ±10.0 pts | 80.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.6% ±5.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±3.0 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.4% ±9.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.5% ±12.3 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.4% ±4.4 pts | 9.9% | – |
| With a disability | 27.7% ±8.5 pts | 24.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.5% ±4.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±5.3 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.7% ±4.8 pts | 22.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.7% ±2.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±6.0 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Portola earn?
Half of Portola's 1,008 households earn less than $44,492 a year (±$6,885), against $66,031 in Plumas County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 the median was $62,711 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $18,219 after inflation. 22.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Portola | Plumas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,492 ±$6,885 | $66,031 | −$18,219 |
| Mean household income | $55,109 ±$7,068 | $96,802 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,483 ±$3,431 | $43,235 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 22.3% ±9.7 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.9% ±22.3 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 29.6% ±8.2 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.8% ±4.3 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.8% ±9.3 pts | 85.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Portola?
Owners occupy 55.5% of Portola's occupied homes and renters 44.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,300 by its owner (±$27,415). The median renter pays $819 a month including utilities, and 38.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Portola | Plumas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $231,300 ±$27,415 | $360,200 | +$33,651 |
| Median gross rent | $819 ±$237 | $1,194 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.3% ±13.6 pts | 36.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,334 ±$173 | $1,874 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.5% ±9.1 pts | 74.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.5% ±9.1 pts | 25.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,201 ±224 | 14,921 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.0% ±5.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.1% ±7.9 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.9% ±7.2 pts | 83.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.7% ±2.0 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.1% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.8% ±7.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.8% ±7.0 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Portola building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Portola in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Portola work and get to work?
75.6% of Portola's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 12.4%.
| Measure | Portola | Plumas County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.2% ±8.2 pts | 46.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 12.4% ±6.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.6% ±10.1 pts | 74.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 12.6% ±12.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.6% ±1.2 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.3 min ±5.6 | 19.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Portola?
No census tract lies mostly in Portola; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3Plumas County | 5,439 | $54,420 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Portola) · Census block assignment files
How does Portola compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Portola is the 7,635th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 456th-most populous of 483 in California.
Portola ranks 1,000th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 456th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 319th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 917th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 1,000th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 893rd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 993rd | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 979th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 103rd | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 879th | 988 |
| Median age | 491st | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 790th | 1,064 |
| Travel time to work | 906th | 1,069 |
Portola's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Portola with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Portola?
20 of the 57 figures for Portola on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Portola are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Portola.