Sierra County, California Income Statistics
Sierra 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
Sierra County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,956 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,511 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sierra County is about 39% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Sierra County (4.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Sierra 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 Sierra County, California grew by 10.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,956 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sierra County
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,721 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $61,488 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.8% | 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 Sierra County, it is 0.543, 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 13% more than women's income in Sierra County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 13% wage gap accumulates to roughly $288,155 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sierra County, California has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 58% in 2017, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 9%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $774 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sierra County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 12.6% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.8% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 157 people are unemployed in Sierra County, California.
The average commute time in Sierra County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sierra County, California has risen from 11.3% to 12.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 3.9% in 2016.
Sierra County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sierra County, CA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,746 residents against a local median of 102,481. Sierra County, CA's unemployment, at 12.6%, runs 133% above the 5.4% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $60,956 against a local median of $90,457, 33% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Sierra County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.6% on unemployment, so Sierra County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sierra County, CA has the 6th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County, CA | 2,746 | $60,956 #6/6 | 4.1%/yr #5/6 | 12.6% #6/6 | 0.543 #6/6 |
| Nevada County, CA | 102,481 | $90,457 | 5.8%/yr | 5.4% | 0.543 |
| Plumas County, CA | 19,423 | $67,287 | 3.9%/yr | 9.1% | 0.525 |
| Placer County, CA | 418,934 | $115,988 | 5.2%/yr | 4.8% | 0.536 |
| El Dorado County, CA | 192,661 | $109,313 | 5.3%/yr | 4.5% | 0.540 |
| Carson City, NV | 58,384 | $71,367 | 5.1%/yr | 5.5% | 0.524 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sierra 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 Sierra County, California.
How Rich Is Sierra County, California?
Sierra 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 $60,956, about 39% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Sierra County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sierra County, California rose 10%, from $55,398 to $60,956. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +10% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Sierra County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sierra County, California was $59,999, down 4% from $62,382 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Sierra County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sierra County, California was $53,028. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $60,956.
Is it hard to find a job in Sierra County, California?
Unemployment in Sierra County, California is 12.6%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sierra County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Sierra County is 0.543. 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 Sierra County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sierra County, California has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 58% in 2017, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 9%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $774 since 2009.
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