Population
3,098
2025
−4.0% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Sierra County, CA: population growth, jobs and income
Sierra County lost 23 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.7%).
Sierra County had an estimated 3,098 residents in 2025, down 4.0% (128 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than California as a whole (−0.4%), and the 48th fastest growth of 58 counties in California.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Washoe County and Nevada County.
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In the Sierra County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Sierra County plus 14 more figures, ranked against California and the U.S. Three of the 14, free:
- Median gross rent$1,032/mo2016–20
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes42.5%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months0Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+4
2025
1.3 per 1,000 residents
−8 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
5.7%
2025
+0.2 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
1
2025
0.3 per 1,000 residents
Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$63,355
2020–24
+21.6% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
204
2023
+8.5% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 4 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +4.
Private employers had 204 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +8.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 5.7% in 2025, 0.2 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 1 new homes in 2025, or 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $63,355 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +21.6% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,821st.
Get Sierra County’s next numbers by email
Email me when Sierra County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Sierra County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,098 | −23 |
| 2024 | 3,121 | −39 |
| 2023 | 3,160 | −43 |
| 2022 | 3,203 | −88 |
| 2021 | 3,291 | +65 |
| 2020 | 3,226 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Sierra County
Sierra County lost 128 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−124).
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | −26 | −124 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +0 | +10 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | +4 | −8 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | −1 | −6 | |
| Total change | −23 | −128 |
Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.
How it ranks
| Measure | In California | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 48th of 58 | 2,821st of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 12th of 58 | 1,684th of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 21st of 58 | 827th of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 52nd of 58 | 1,738th of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 27th of 58 | 2,803rd of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 57th of 58 | 2,559th of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Sierra County, CA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. It has everything on this page plus 14 more figures for Sierra County, ranked against California and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Washoe County and Nevada County reports too, $149 for all 3.
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Neighbouring counties
Over 2020–25, Sierra County's population change (−4.0%) was ahead of 2 of its 5 neighbouring counties and behind 3.
Its median household income ($63,355, 2020–24) is lower than in all 5 of its neighbouring counties.
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County, CA This county | 3,098 | −4.0% | 1.3 | 0.3 | $63,355 |
| Plumas County, CA | 18,583 | −5.9% | −4.2 | 2.4 | $66,031 |
| Nevada County, CA | 101,911 | −0.4% | 1.1 | 1.9 | $89,882 |
| Lassen County, CA | 28,117 | −13.1% | −17.9 | 0.6 | $67,403 |
| Yuba County, CA | 88,691 | +8.2% | 9.7 | 5.2 | $76,373 |
| Washoe County, NV | 509,386 | +4.4% | 4.2 | 5.0 | $88,096 |
Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
Questions
Is Sierra County growing?
No. Its population fell 4.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 128 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it lost 23 residents (−0.7%). California as a whole changed −0.4% over the same years. That ranks 48th of 58 counties in California for population growth.
How many people moved to Sierra County?
On net, about 4 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +4.
What is the unemployment rate in Sierra County?
It averaged 5.7% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Sierra County?
About 3,098 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Sierra County?
Private employers there had 204 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +8.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).
What Beacon CRE covers in California
Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other California county pages carry the public federal growth figures.
Sierra County data alerts
Email me when Sierra County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Cite or reuse these figures
The headline figures above are licensed CC BY 4.0 by Simply Stats LLC: reuse them anywhere, with a credit and a link to this page. What the licence covers.
The licence covers these headline figures only. The county reports, data files and data packs are not licensed for reuse beyond section 4 of the terms.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.
Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.