Placer County, California
Among the top 1% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 56% of US counties
- top 2% for sunny days
- top 4% for broadband access
- bottom 1% for income tax
Placer County is a county in California with about 407,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include sunny days, broadband access, and walkability. It rates lower on cost of living and income tax.
Official websiteplacer.ca.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
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comf.
warm
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97%64%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.8 in0.2 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$109k98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$75kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$627k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 2% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.85%better than 50% of US counties
Income Tax13.30%better than 1% of US counties
Sales Tax8.85%better than 17% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden21.10%better than 1% of US counties
Unemployment4.3%better than 60% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)46°F81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.9 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.9 inbetter than 69% of US counties
Sunny Days311 daysbetter than 98% of US counties
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 86% of US counties
Comfortable Days99 daysbetter than 91% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk93.1better than 7% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality61.2better than 62% of US counties
Violent Crime563/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime1251/100kbetter than 34% of US counties
Community
Population406,60895th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.359th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4167th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9727th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.9%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.6%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)14.9%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)8.6%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.1%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 28% of US counties
Walkability10.3/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance51 mibetter than 80% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.7%better than 96% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.12better than 25% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 44% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Placer County an affordable place to live?
- Placer County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $75k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Placer County?
- The median home value in Placer County is $627k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Placer County?
- Median household income in Placer County is $109k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Placer County?
- Median gross rent in Placer County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Placer County safe?
- Placer County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 563/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 1251/100k.
- What is the weather like in Placer County?
- Placer County averages 76°F in July and 46°F in January, with 37.9 in of annual precipitation and about 311 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Placer County?
- Public-school quality in Placer County is above average, scoring better than 62% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Placer County?
- The average one-way commute in Placer County is 28 min.
Other counties in California
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)