The Town FilesSonora, California
City in Tuolumne County · population 5,003 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $422,300
- Household income
- $82,690
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 42.1
Sonora is a city of 5,003 people in Tuolumne County, California. The median home is worth $422,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks hipper than 95% of California towns.
How Sonora 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 Sonora is worth $422,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $82,690, which is more affordable than 74% of California towns. Median rent is $1,238 a month. 42.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sonora | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $422,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,238 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $82,690 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 42.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Sonora
| People | Sonora | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Sonora
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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sonora since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 11, 2023 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2023.
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
Tuolumne County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5652: Dove Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-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 Sonora itself the ACS puts it at 12.4%.
Public schools in Sonora
13 public schools with 2,877 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonora High | 9-12 | 960 | 25.9 |
| Sonora Elementary | K-8 | 693 | 18.7 |
| Gold Rush Home Study Charter (charter) | K-12 | 451 | 21.5 |
| Curtis Creek Elementary | K-8 | 422 | 22.2 |
| Belleview Elementary | K-8 | 166 | 18.4 |
| Theodore Bird High | 9-12 | 90 | 30.0 |
| Dario Cassina High | 10-12 | 35 | 11.7 |
| Tuolumne County Special Education | K-12 | 32 | 6.4 |
| Tuolumne County Community/ISP | K-12 | 18 | 6.0 |
| Gold Ridge Educational Center | 1-12 | 10 | 10.0 |
| Belleview Special Education Preschool | Other | — | — |
| Tuolumne County Special Education Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Sonora
- Jamestown, CA2.1 mi · 3,478 people · home $374,600
- Columbia, CA3.8 mi · 2,577 people · home $376,200
- Phoenix Lake, CA4.5 mi · 4,264 people · home $488,500
- Mono Vista, CA6.5 mi · 3,236 people · home $427,800
- Angels, CA11.1 mi · 3,667 people · home $484,800
- Copperopolis, CA13.5 mi · 3,400 people · home $487,200
- Pine Mountain Lake, CA13.8 mi · 2,636 people · home $426,500
- Arnold, CA18.6 mi · 3,288 people · home $485,700
Sonora questions
Is Sonora, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sonora scores better for retirees than 56% of California towns and quieter than 57%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Sonora?
The median owner-occupied home in Sonora is valued at $422,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,690, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,238 a month.
What is the weather like in Sonora?
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 Sonora get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Sonora since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 11, 2023. 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)