Is Penn Valley, CA a Good Place to Live?
Penn Valley is a small town of 1,188 in California, with a median household income of $65,882 . Its cost of living index is 110 (US average = 100), which is 10% above the national average.
Strengths: Penn Valley's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Penn Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Penn Valley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 109.8Penn Valley's overall cost of living index is 109.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Penn Valley costs roughly 10% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Penn Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $525,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,664 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $65,882 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AveragePenn Valley's violent crime rate is 411.0 per 100,000 residents — 8% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Penn Valley is served primarily by Penn Valley Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Penn Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Penn Valley Union Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Penn Valley sees average highs of 53.6°F in January and 88.0°F in July, with 34.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Penn Valley, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 53.6°F |
| Average High — July | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Penn Valley, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,188 | — |
| Median Age | 55.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 52.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 38.4% | 16.8% |