Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $267,567 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 73.0% | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,180 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.3% | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Sierra County is about 58% lower than in California. Rent is about 40% lower than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Sierra County, up about 73.0% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Sierra County rose about 25.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $938 to $1,180. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 55.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.5 yearly household incomes in Sierra County.
Buying the median-priced home in Sierra County costs roughly 18.9 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Sierra County. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4.
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $267,567 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $59,999 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.5 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Sierra County rose about 191.2%, while median household income rose about 8.3% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 45.0% | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 12.5% | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 42.5% | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Sierra County has a homeownership rate of 45.0%, lower than the California average of 51.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 42.5%, compared with 7.6% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.18 people | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1994 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Sierra County was built around 1994. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 4.9 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Sierra County, California.
What is the median home price in Sierra County, California?
The median home price in Sierra County, California is $267,567, lower than the California average of $642,203.
What is the average home price in Sierra County, California?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Sierra County, California?
The median gross rent in Sierra County, California is $1,180 per month, lower than the California average of $1,955.
What was the median gross rent in Sierra County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Sierra County, California was $1,032 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Sierra County, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Sierra County, California is about 18.9, meaning it would take roughly 18.9 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Sierra County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Sierra County, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Sierra County, up about 73.0% and 3.3% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Sierra County, California?
45.0% of households in Sierra County, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Sierra County, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Sierra County, California is 42.5%, higher than the California average of 7.6%.