Is Plumas Lake, CA a Good Place to Live?
Plumas Lake is a small town of 8,301 in California, with a median household income of $109,860 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Plumas Lake's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Plumas Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Plumas Lake 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: 103.6Plumas Lake's overall cost of living index is 103.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Plumas Lake costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Plumas Lake, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $471,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,262 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $109,860 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AveragePlumas Lake's violent crime rate is 364.8 per 100,000 residents — 4% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Plumas Lake is served primarily by Plumas Lake Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Plumas Lake, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Plumas Lake Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 21.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Plumas Lake sees average highs of 55.5°F in January and 96.2°F in July, with 18.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Plumas Lake, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 55.5°F |
| Average High — July | 96.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Plumas Lake, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,301 | — |
| Median Age | 31.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 40.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 7.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 33.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 6.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Plumas Lake
Plumas Lake, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: