Grass Valley, CA · standard

ZIP Code 95949

Nevada County, California — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

19,741
55/sq mi
$98,181
Median income
$550,800
Median home value
33.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Grass Valley pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 20%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
55
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 95949 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 95949 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 361.6 square miles in Grass Valley, Nevada County, California. The area is home to 19,741 residents, producing a population density of 55 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 95949 against California and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 95949 sits at $98,181 (3% below the California average), while per-capita income is $50,821. The poverty rate stands at 10.4% and the unemployment rate at 5.6%. On housing, the median home value is $550,800 (29% below the state average) with median rent at $1,902 per month, and 87.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 95949 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 33.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Nevada County, so you can benchmark 95949 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 95949

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 95949.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 95949, Grass Valley, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

19,741

Population

361.6

Area (sq mi)

55

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 95949?

53.7

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

4.4%

Foreign-Born

White 84.9%
African American 0.5%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$98,181

Median Household Income

-3% vs state

$50,821

Per Capita Income

10.4%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

26.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 95949 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$98,181 Top 20% higher than 80% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 33.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,905

Total Housing Units

8,380

Occupied Units

525

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.1%
Renter 12.9%

$550,800

Median Home Value

-29% vs state

$1,902

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

-0.3%

YoY Change (2024)

219

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+119%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 95949 have decreased 0.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +119% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 179
2021 +14.7% 205
2022 +9.8% 226
2023 -2.8% 219
2024 -0.3% 219

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 356 business establishments in ZIP 95949, employing approximately 2,068 people with a combined annual payroll of $104,096,000.

356

Businesses

2,068

Employees

$104.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 87 24.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 39 11.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 38 10.7%
Other services (except public administration) 29 8.2%
Retail trade 28 7.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 7.3%
Accommodation and food services 22 6.2%
Finance and insurance 21 5.9%
Health care and social assistance 19 5.3%
Manufacturing 13 3.6%
Wholesale trade 10 2.8%
Transportation and warehousing 6 1.7%
Information 5 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.4%
Educational services 4 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 95949 vs 95602 →

ZIP 95949 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 95949 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 95949 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 95949 ranks #4 of 6 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
95602 Auburn, CA 17,509 7.9 mi
95975 Rough And Ready, CA 1,769 8.5 mi
95946 Penn Valley, CA 9,790 8.6 mi
95722 Meadow Vista, CA 4,585 8.8 mi
95703 Applegate, CA 897 11.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Nevada County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 95949 in?
ZIP code 95949 (Grass Valley) is located in Nevada County, California. Nevada County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/nevada-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 95949?
ZIP code 95949 in Grass Valley, CA has a population of 19,741 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 95949?
The median household income in ZIP 95949 is $98,181, which is 29% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 95949?
The median home value in ZIP 95949 is $550,800, which is 98% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 95949?
The largest racial group in ZIP 95949 is White at 84.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 95949?
ZIP code 95949 has 356 business establishments employing approximately 2,068 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 95949?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 95949 are: Construction (87), Professional, scientific, and technical services (39), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (38). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 95949?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 95949 decreased by 0.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 119%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 95949?
In ZIP code 95949, 54.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 95949?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 95949 is 26.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 95949?
In ZIP code 95949, approximately 87.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 95949?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 95949 is 10.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Grass Valley, CA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.