The Town Files

Jamestown, California

Community in Tuolumne County · population 3,478 (2020 Census)

Map: where Jamestown is in CaliforniaJamestown
Median home
$374,600
Household income
$57,276
Jan low / Jul high
33° / 93°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
1
Median age
47.3

Jamestown is a community of 3,478 people in Tuolumne County, California. The median home is worth $374,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 73% of California towns.

Jamestown in our rankings:

How Jamestown ranks

Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.

Jamestown lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement67th pctFamilies19th pctQuiet73rd pctWalkability27th pctFirst-time buyers42nd pctYoung professionals29th pctVibrancy24th pctHip & trendy64th pctCollege town15th pctUpscale27th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving51st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Jamestown is worth $374,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.5 times the median household income of $57,276, which is more affordable than 49% of California towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.

Jamestown vs Tuolumne County vs typical California townJamestownTuolumne CountyTypical California townHome value$374,600$433,200$596,900Household income$57,276$77,404$91,557Monthly rent$944$1,302$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingJamestownTypical California town
Median home value$374,600$596,900
Median rent$944$1,827
Median household income$57,276$91,557
Home value ÷ income6.5×6.4×
Homeownership60.8%67.4%
Median year built19831977
Seasonal / vacation homes0.6%—

Who lives in Jamestown

PeopleJamestownTypical California town
Median age47.340.2
Age 65 and over27.5%17.7%
Under 1816.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher21.0%27.7%
Below the poverty line6.1%10.3%
Veterans7.8%—
Born outside the U.S.3.7%—
Work from home7.6%13.4%
Average commute20.4 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband93.0%93.3%

Weather in Jamestown

July highs average 92.8°F and January lows 32.8°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 75 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 66 nights at or below freezing.

Jamestown monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing56°33°Jan58°34°Feb62°37°Mar67°40°Apr76°46°May85°51°Jun93°57°Jul92°56°Aug87°51°Sep76°43°Oct63°36°Nov55°32°DecPrecipitation (in)6.35.55.43.01.50.30.00.10.21.63.25.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Sonora station (1.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jamestown since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 11, 2023 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Jamestown by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s02000s02010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 11, 2023.

Severe weather in Tuolumne County since 1996

Storm events in Tuolumne County since 1996 by typeHail6Flood11Drought14Wildfire2High Wind11Lightning2Heavy Rain19Heavy Snow112
NOAA Storm Events Database, Tuolumne County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Tuolumne County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 26, 2026FireFM-5652: Dove Fire
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 14, 2023FloodDR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 22, 2020FireDR-4558: Wildfires

Jobs and pay in Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County had 18,221 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,725 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Jamestown itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Tuolumne CountyHealth care & social assistan…2,769 jobs · $67,074Retail2,358 jobs · $42,787Hotels & restaurants2,118 jobs · $31,326Construction910 jobs · $74,662Manufacturing782 jobs · $70,439Administrative & support630 jobs · $55,781
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Tuolumne County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Tuolumne 5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Jamestown

1 public school with 381 students, about 20.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Jamestown ElementaryK-838120.1

Towns near Jamestown

Jamestown questions

Is Jamestown, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jamestown scores better for retirees than 67% of California towns and quieter than 73%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).

How much does a house cost in Jamestown?

The median owner-occupied home in Jamestown is valued at $374,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,276, so homes cost about 6.5 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.

What is the weather like in Jamestown?

July highs average 92.8°F and January lows 32.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Jamestown get tornadoes?

1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jamestown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 11, 2023. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Jamestown's Census boundary (GEOID 0637106). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.