Hot-summer Mediterranean
Alta Sierra, California
Nevada County, California · Population 7.1k · 2,313 ft elevation
Living in Alta Sierra
Alta Sierra has a hot-summer mediterranean climate: hot summers (July highs around 88°F) and chilly winters (January lows around 33°F).
Precipitation is very wet at about 53″ a year, and it sees only a dusting of snow (9″ a season).
Skies are exceptionally sunny (77% of possible sunshine). It never gets truly muggy.
Air quality is moderate: a median AQI of 42, with about 1 unhealthy-air day in the latest year.
Alta Sierra is an outdoor hub: about 27% of the land within 30 miles is public (parks, national forest and the like), and the terrain rises and falls about 5,200 ft around town.
Alta Sierra at a glance
- Population
- 7.1k
- Elevation
- 2,313 ft
- Average daily high
- 69°F60th percentile
- Average daily low
- 44°F41th percentile
- Annual precipitation
- 53″85th percentile
- Annual snowfall
- 9″44th percentile
- Sunshine hours per year
- 3,509 hrs90th percentile
- Median AQI
- 4252th percentile
- Median home value
- $561k85th percentile
- Median rent
- $2,033/mo88th percentile
- Median household income
- $100k73th percentile
- Property tax rate
- 0.79%35th percentile
- Top state income-tax rate
- 13.3%
- Sales tax (state + local)
- 8.8%
- Unemployment rate
- 3.8%
- Homes with broadband
- 96%82th percentile
- Walkability index
- 4.63th percentile
- Average commute
- 29 min
- Math proficiency (8th grade)
- 50%58th percentile
- Reading proficiency (8th grade)
- 70%
- Overall natural-hazard risk
- 9048th percentile
- Outdoor access
- 9392th percentile
- Public land within 10 miles
- 7%
- Public land within 30 miles
- 27%
- Mountain relief within 30 miles
- 5,184 ft
Climate by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Snow | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 33°F | 9.3″ | 0.7″ | 175 hrs |
| Feb | 55°F | 35°F | 9.0″ | 3.0″ | 188 hrs |
| Mar | 58°F | 37°F | 8.2″ | 3.0″ | 239 hrs |
| Apr | 63°F | 40°F | 4.4″ | 0.5″ | 290 hrs |
| May | 71°F | 47°F | 2.5″ | — | 368 hrs |
| Jun | 81°F | 53°F | 0.7″ | — | 408 hrs |
| Jul | 88°F | 59°F | 0.0″ | — | 438 hrs |
| Aug | 88°F | 57°F | 0.1″ | — | 405 hrs |
| Sep | 83°F | 52°F | 0.4″ | — | 343 hrs |
| Oct | 72°F | 45°F | 2.6″ | — | 288 hrs |
| Nov | 60°F | 37°F | 5.5″ | 0.2″ | 204 hrs |
| Dec | 53°F | 33°F | 10.5″ | 1.2″ | 164 hrs |
Near Alta Sierra
- Lake of the Pines, CA · 5k
- Grass Valley, CA · 14k
- Meadow Vista, CA · 3.3k
- Nevada City, CA · 3.2k
- Lake Wildwood, CA · 5k
- North Auburn, CA · 14k
- Auburn, CA · 14k
- Auburn Lake Trails, CA · 3.9k
Largest places in California
- Los Angeles, CA · 3.9M
- San Diego, CA · 1.4M
- San Jose, CA · 990k
- San Francisco, CA · 836k
- Fresno, CA · 544k
- Sacramento, CA · 525k
- Long Beach, CA · 458k
- Oakland, CA · 438k
Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology