City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Sierra, CA

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

213
Residents
$92,543
Median income
$380,600
Median home
$1,529
Median rent (state)

Sierra - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sierra places in the 73rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

73rd
percentile, household income
76th
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: Sierra, CA

213 people live in Sierra, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Sierra brings in $92,543 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Sierra's housing stock carries a median value of $380,600, and the median resident age is 69.6 years. Educational attainment runs 24.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 50.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,529 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Sierra workers runs 12.5 minutes, with 68.2% driving alone and 31.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 31.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

213 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$92,543 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Sierra compare to other US cities?

Where Sierra sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 76% 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 Sierra 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 places Sierra near the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,450 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Sierra ranks #1,194 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sierra only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#600 of 1,338
55th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,137 of 1,458
20th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#896 of 1,343
33rd percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,194 of 1,450
0th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#751 of 1,458
48th 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.

73rdIncome percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Sierra's home value compares nationally

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

$380,600 24th percentile more affordable than 24% 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%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sierra $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 - Sierra, CA Sierra, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sierra, 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 Sierra, CA median $92,543/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%
Sierra, 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 Sierra, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.2%

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

Population
213
Median Income
$92,543
Median Home Value
$380,600
Median Age
69.6
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
50.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.9%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
12.5 minutes
Drive Alone
68.2%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
31.8%

Based on 107 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 Sierra 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

Albion
214 people
East Shore
210 people
June Lake
209 people
Mexican Colony
217 people
Valley Home
208 people
French Gulch
221 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sierra's 213 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Boligee, AL
213 people
Chunchula, AL
213 people
Cibola, AZ
213 people
South Komelik, AZ
213 people
Wayton, AR
213 people
Cloud Lake, FL
213 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sierra's $92,543 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wharton, NJ
$92,548 median income
Ora, IN
$92,550 median income
Richland, WA
$92,550 median income
Fernandina Beach, FL
$92,535 median income
Grand Point, LA
$92,560 median income
Lancaster, NH
$92,525 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sierra, 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 Sierra, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.0% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 93.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 7.0% 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 Sierra 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
Sierra (this city) 213 $92,543
Albion 214 N/A
East Shore 210 N/A
June Lake 209 $40,703
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sierra, CA?

What is the population of Sierra, CA? +

Sierra, CA has a population of 213 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Sierra, the typical household earns $92,543 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sierra? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sierra; 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 Sierra, CA? +

A typical home in Sierra is worth $380,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.