The Town FilesPenn Valley, California
Community in Nevada County · population 1,593 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $500,700
- Household income
- $64,737
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 43.8
Penn Valley is a community of 1,593 people in Nevada County, California. The median home is worth $500,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 97% of California towns, better for retirees than 84% of California towns.
How Penn Valley 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 Penn Valley is worth $500,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.7 times the median household income of $64,737, which is more affordable than 31% of California towns. Median rent is $1,230 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Penn Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $500,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,230 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $64,737 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Penn Valley
| People | Penn Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 50.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Penn Valley
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F. About 53.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Penn Valley since 1950.
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 Penn Valley itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Penn Valley
4 public schools with 558 students, about 21.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready Springs Elementary | K-8 | 336 | 21.0 |
| Williams Ranch Elementary | K-5 | 185 | 23.1 |
| Vantage Point Charter (charter) | K-12 | 37 | 18.5 |
| Penn Valley Union Special Education Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Penn Valley
- Lake Wildwood, CA2.6 mi · 5,158 people · home $551,800
- Rough and Ready, CA4.0 mi · 905 people · home $691,500
- Grass Valley, CA7.8 mi · 14,016 people · home $482,200
- Alta Sierra, CA9.1 mi · 7,204 people · home $563,700
- Nevada City, CA9.7 mi · 3,152 people · home $677,400
- Beale AFB, CA10.4 mi · 1,303 people · home —
- Dobbins, CA11.2 mi · 551 people · home $423,400
- Lake of the Pines, CA12.9 mi · 4,301 people · home $664,300
Penn Valley questions
Is Penn Valley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Penn Valley scores better for retirees than 84% of California towns and quieter than 97%. 34.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Penn Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Penn Valley is valued at $500,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,737, so homes cost about 7.7 times income. Median rent is $1,230 a month.
What is the weather like in Penn Valley?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Penn Valley get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Penn Valley 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)