The Town FilesPlumas Lake, California
Community in Yuba County · population 8,126 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $555,300
- Household income
- $120,408
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 34.8
Plumas Lake is a community of 8,126 people in Yuba County, California. The median home is worth $555,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 98% of California towns, easier by car than 77% of California towns.
How Plumas Lake 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plumas Lake is worth $555,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $120,408, which is more affordable than 84% of California towns. Median rent is $2,302 a month. 91.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plumas Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $555,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,302 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $120,408 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 91.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2008 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Plumas Lake
| People | Plumas Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 42.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Plumas Lake
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 23 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plumas Lake since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 22, 2012 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 2, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on January 23, 2017.
Severe weather in Yuba County since 1996
Yuba County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5363: Bear Fire |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Yuba County
Yuba County had 21,061 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,931 a year. Unemployment was 6.7% in 2023; in Plumas Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Plumas Lake
3 public schools with 1,600 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobblestone Elementary | K-5 | 571 | 22.0 |
| Rio Del Oro Elementary | K-5 | 521 | 21.7 |
| Riverside Meadows Intermediate | 6-8 | 508 | 18.8 |
Towns near Plumas Lake
- Olivehurst, CA6.9 mi · 16,595 people · home $384,500
- Wheatland, CA9.7 mi · 3,712 people · home $429,200
- Linda, CA10.1 mi · 21,654 people · home $371,700
- Yuba City, CA11.3 mi · 70,117 people · home $434,600
- Marysville, CA12.0 mi · 12,844 people · home $292,300
- Sutter, CA15.9 mi · 2,997 people · home $408,500
- Lincoln, CA16.0 mi · 49,757 people · home $651,000
- Elverta, CA19.0 mi · 5,435 people · home $453,100
Plumas Lake questions
Is Plumas Lake, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plumas Lake scores better for retirees than 36% of California towns and quieter than 63%. 7.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Plumas Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Plumas Lake is valued at $555,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,408, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $2,302 a month.
What is the weather like in Plumas Lake?
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Plumas Lake get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plumas Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 22, 2012. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)