Plumas County, California Income Statistics
Plumas County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Plumas County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Plumas County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,287 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $66,776 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.2% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Plumas County is about 32% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Plumas County (3.9%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Plumas County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Plumas County, California grew by 50.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,287 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Plumas County
| Metric | Plumas County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.525 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $81,821 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $67,413 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.6% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Plumas County, it is 0.525, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Plumas County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $504,280 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Plumas County, California has narrowed from about 19% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,769 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Plumas County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.1% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 703 people are unemployed in Plumas County, California.
The average commute time in Plumas County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Plumas County, California has fallen from 14.2% to 9.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 17.2% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.4% in 2019.
Plumas County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Plumas County, CA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,423 residents against a local median of 84,507. Plumas County, CA's income growth, at 3.9%/yr, runs 30% below the 5.6%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 9.1% against a local median of 7.4%, 23% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Plumas County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.3%/yr on income growth, so Plumas County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Plumas County, CA has the 5th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumas County, CA | 19,423 | $67,287 #5/6 | 3.9%/yr #5/6 | 9.1% #5/6 | 0.525 #1/6 |
| Sierra County, CA | 2,746 | $60,956 | 4.1%/yr | 12.6% | 0.543 |
| Nevada County, CA | 102,481 | $90,457 | 5.8%/yr | 5.4% | 0.543 |
| Lassen County, CA | 30,356 | $67,791 | 3.5%/yr | 8.3% | 0.657 |
| Butte County, CA | 207,907 | $68,302 | 5.6%/yr | 7.4% | 0.573 |
| Yuba County, CA | 84,507 | $76,221 | 5.8%/yr | 6.4% | 0.554 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Plumas County, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Plumas County, California.
How Rich Is Plumas County, California?
Plumas County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,287, about 32% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Plumas County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Plumas County, California rose 50%, from $44,812 to $67,287. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +50% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Plumas County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Plumas County, California was $67,896, down 2% from $69,244 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Plumas County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Plumas County, California was $58,148. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $67,287.
How strong is the job market in Plumas County, California?
Unemployment in Plumas County, California is 9.1%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Plumas County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Plumas County is 0.525. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Plumas County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Plumas County, California has narrowed from about 19% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,769 since 2009.
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