Hot-summer Mediterranean

Grass Valley, California

Nevada County, California · Population 14k · 2,418 ft elevation

Living in Grass Valley

Grass Valley 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.

Grass Valley is an outdoor hub: about 30% of the land within 30 miles is public (parks, national forest and the like), and the terrain rises and falls about 5,600 ft around town.

Grass Valley at a glance

Population
14k
Elevation
2,418 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
$458k78th percentile
Median rent
$1,417/mo64th percentile
Median household income
$49k13th percentile
Property tax rate
0.70%26th percentile
Top state income-tax rate
13.3%
Sales tax (state + local)
8.8%
Unemployment rate
4.0%
Homes with broadband
87%27th percentile
Walkability index
13.487th percentile
Average commute
17 min
Math proficiency (8th grade)
27%19th percentile
Reading proficiency (8th grade)
37%
Violent crime rate
398 per 100k81th percentile
Property crime rate
1,569 per 100k
Overall natural-hazard risk
9048th percentile
Outdoor access
9493th percentile
Public land within 10 miles
8%
Public land within 30 miles
30%
Mountain relief within 30 miles
5,610 ft

Climate by month

Average monthly weather in Grass Valley, California
MonthHighLowPrecipitationSnowSunshine
Jan54°F33°F9.3″0.7″175 hrs
Feb55°F34°F9.0″3.0″188 hrs
Mar58°F37°F8.2″3.0″239 hrs
Apr63°F40°F4.4″0.5″290 hrs
May71°F47°F2.5″—368 hrs
Jun80°F53°F0.7″—408 hrs
Jul88°F58°F0.0″—438 hrs
Aug87°F57°F0.1″—406 hrs
Sep82°F52°F0.4″—343 hrs
Oct72°F44°F2.6″—288 hrs
Nov60°F37°F5.5″0.2″204 hrs
Dec53°F33°F10.5″1.2″163 hrs

Near Grass Valley

Largest places in California

Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology