The Town FilesTruckee, California
Town in Nevada County · population 16,729 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $947,900
- Household income
- $130,462
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 207 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 42.0
Truckee is a town of 16,729 people in Nevada County, California. The median home is worth $947,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of California towns, better for cycling than 88% of California towns, better for families than 87% of California towns.
How Truckee 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 Truckee is worth $947,900, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.3 times the median household income of $130,462, which is more affordable than 37% of California towns. Median rent is $1,961 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Truckee | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $947,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,961 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $130,462 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 47.9% | — |
Who lives in Truckee
| People | Truckee | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.7% | — |
| Work from home | 30.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Truckee
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.1°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 206.6 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 229 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Truckee since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 23, 2003.
Severe weather in Nevada County since 1996
Nevada County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 24, 2021 | Fire | DR-4610: Wildfires |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Nevada County
Nevada County had 35,000 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,734 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Truckee itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Truckee
7 public schools with 2,636 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tahoe Truckee High | 9-12 | 894 | 19.9 |
| Alder Creek Middle | 6-8 | 513 | 17.1 |
| Truckee Elementary | K-5 | 486 | 20.3 |
| Glenshire Elementary | K-5 | 485 | 24.3 |
| Sierra Expeditionary Learning (charter) | K-8 | 215 | 23.9 |
| Sierra High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 30 | 10.0 |
| Cold Stream Alternative | K-12 | 13 | 3.3 |
Towns near Truckee
- Kings Beach, CA11.7 mi · 3,563 people · home $772,100
- Incline Village, NV14.5 mi · 9,462 people · home $1,454,600
- Washoe Valley, NV22.7 mi · 3,074 people · home $609,700
- Reno, NV22.9 mi · 264,165 people · home $548,300
- Cold Springs, NV26.3 mi · 10,153 people · home $433,300
- Carson City, NV27.5 mi · 58,639 people · home $453,000
- Indian Hills, NV27.8 mi · 5,962 people · home $483,800
- Sun Valley, NV28.6 mi · 21,178 people · home $349,100
Truckee questions
Is Truckee, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Truckee scores better for retirees than 72% of California towns and quieter than 76%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Truckee?
The median owner-occupied home in Truckee is valued at $947,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $130,462, so homes cost about 7.3 times income. Median rent is $1,961 a month.
What is the weather like in Truckee?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 206.6 inches of snow.
Does Truckee get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Truckee in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)