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Placer County

#6 in Best Counties for Families in California
  • A-
    Overall Grade
  • County in California
  • 9 reviews
    A-
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A
    2. Crime & Safety
      B-
    3. Housing
      C-
    4. Nightlife
      A-
    5. Good for Families
      A-
    6. Diversity
      B+
    7. Jobs
      B+
    8. Weather
      B+
    9. Cost of Living
      D-
    10. Health & Fitness
      A+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A+
    12. Commute
      B-
    View Full Report Card
    Placer County is located in California with a population of 374,985. Placer County is one of the best places to live in California. In Placer County, most residents own their homes. In Placer County there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Placer County and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Placer County are highly rated.
    Population
    374,985

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $413,300
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,398
    National
    $949
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      29%
    • Own
      71%
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    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

    Placer County Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      78.7
      282.7
    • Murder
      1.5
      6.1
    • Rape
      24.9
      40.7
    • Robbery
      48.7
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      294
      500.1
    • Theft
      1,552.7
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      199.9
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      12%
    • 10-17 years
      11%
    • 18-24 years
      8%
    • 25-34 years
      11%
    • 35-44 years
      13%
    • 45-54 years
      14%
    • 55-64 years
      13%
    • 65+ years
      18%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      12%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      25%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      38%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      19%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      6%
      13%

    Working in Placer County

    Jobs
    B+
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $80,488
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Placer County
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

      Placer County Reviews

      9 reviews
      All Categories
      Pleasant rural living. Safe. Scenic. Ideal weather. Clean mountain air and water. Best retirement place in California for outdoor lovers. Mid-county foothills offer both rural privacy and easy accessibility via Interstate 80. Senior friendly supports, services, and activities abound. Better public transportation would be nice.
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      Classic rural county with scattered suburbs and urban areas. Multiple schools across all grades, along with access to the "best junior college" in California – Sierra College. I've grown up here, and while I feel slightly unsafe in the larger cities and towns, the area is beautiful.
      Most local business is not small or entrepreneurial we have a lot of mall-like store and chain restaurants which makes everything close and easy. However when you happen upon a small business that is thriving in this area with all the competition, they are a gem!