City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Portola, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Portola - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,462
Residents
$42,385
Median income
$232,100
Median home
$1,529
Median rent (state)

Portola - the verdict

Nationally, Portola sits in the 10th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

10th
percentile, household income
51st
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Portola, CA

Portola is a small town in California, home to 2,462 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Portola brings in $42,385 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 26.1%. Home values in Portola run a median of $232,100, and the median resident age is 36.2 years. About 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 42.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). NOAA puts Portola's yearly average temperature at 46.7°F with 23.3 inches of precipitation per year and 37.8 inches of snowfall.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,529 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 31.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

2,462 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$42,385 /yr

Poverty 26.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Portola compare to other US cities?

Here's how Portola stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 51% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Portola against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Poverty Rate is Portola's strongest outlier among California cities

Among the 1,450 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Portola ranks #114 - the 92nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Portola only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,262 of 1,338
6th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,137 of 1,458
20th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,203 of 1,343
10th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#114 of 1,450
92nd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,135 of 1,458
22nd percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

10thIncome percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Portola's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$232,100 49th percentile more affordable than 49% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Portola $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Portola, CA Portola, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portola, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Portola, CA median $42,385/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Portola, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Portola, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 26.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,462
Median Income
$42,385
Median Home Value
$232,100
Median Age
36.2
Poverty Rate
26.1%
Labor force participation
42.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.7°F
Annual Precipitation
23.3"
Annual Snowfall
37.8"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,000 residents2,050 residents2,100 residents2,150 residents2,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,084 residents 2,024 residents ▼ -2.9%
Portola's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 2
2021 0
2022 1
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.1%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
17.0%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
4.3%

Based on 766 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Portola sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,529/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
31.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Janesville
2,447 people
Pajaro
2,480 people
Rose Hills
2,485 people
Sky Valley
2,437 people
Lewiston
2,434 people
Kings Beach
2,493 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portola's 2,462 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jonestown, TX
2,462 people
Chilhowie, VA
2,462 people
Woodlawn CDP (Carroll County), VA
2,461 people
Myersville, MD
2,464 people
Cabool, MO
2,460 people
Terre du Lac, MO
2,460 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portola's $42,385 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Borup, MN
$42,386 median income
Sheldon, MO
$42,386 median income
Marlinton, WV
$42,386 median income
Lake Delton, WI
$42,386 median income
Cienegas Terrace, TX
$42,382 median income
Donalsonville, GA
$42,393 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Portola, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Portola, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.3% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22.0% White 84.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 4.7% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.7% Two or more races 7.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Portola compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Portola (this city) 2,462 $42,385
Janesville 2,447 $70,938
Pajaro 2,480 $82,083
Rose Hills 2,485 $123,220
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portola, CA?

What is the population of Portola, CA? +

Portola, CA counts 2,462 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Portola, CA? +

Portola households earn a median of $42,385 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portola? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Portola; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Portola, CA? +

The median home value in Portola is $232,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Portola? +

Climate normals put Portola's yearly average temperature at 46.7°F, 23.3 inches of precipitation, and 37.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.