The Town FilesAlta, California
Community in Placer County · population 615 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $470,000
- Household income
- $96,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 46.9
Alta is a community of 615 people in Placer County, California. The median home is worth $470,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 94% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of California towns, better for families than 74% of California towns.
How Alta 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 Alta is worth $470,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $96,792, which is more affordable than 78% of California towns. Median rent is $1,083 a month. 92.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $470,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,083 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $96,792 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.1% | — |
Who lives in Alta
| People | Alta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 11.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 38.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 46.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Alta
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 34.4°F. About 62.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 79 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Alta since 1950.
Severe weather in Placer County since 1996
Placer County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2022 | Fire | FM-5453: Mosquito Fire |
| September 1, 2021 | Fire | EM-3571: Caldor Fire |
Jobs and pay in Placer County
Placer County had 186,942 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,804 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Alta itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Alta
1 public school with 90 students, about 22.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta-Dutch Flat Elementary | K-8 | 90 | 22.5 |
Towns near Alta
- Colfax, CA11.8 mi · 1,995 people · home $434,300
- Nevada City, CA12.9 mi · 3,152 people · home $677,400
- Grass Valley, CA13.6 mi · 14,016 people · home $482,200
- Foresthill, CA14.6 mi · 1,692 people · home $524,300
- Alta Sierra, CA14.8 mi · 7,204 people · home $563,700
- Rough and Ready, CA18.2 mi · 905 people · home $691,500
- Lake of the Pines, CA18.7 mi · 4,301 people · home $664,300
- Meadow Vista, CA19.6 mi · 3,263 people · home $640,300
Alta questions
Is Alta, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alta scores better for retirees than 63% of California towns and quieter than 94%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Alta?
The median owner-occupied home in Alta is valued at $470,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,792, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,083 a month.
What is the weather like in Alta?
July highs average 77.8°F and January lows 34.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 62.4 inches of precipitation a year and 9.0 inches of snow.
Does Alta get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Alta 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)