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 Moderate-density area
- $98,181
- Median income Above-median income area
- $550,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Grass Valley, Nevada County, California, home to 19,741 residents across 361.6 square miles, a density of 55 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 95949 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $98,181 (3% below the average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $50,821. The poverty rate is 10.4%, with unemployment at 5.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $550,800 (29% below the average California ZIP), and median rent is $1,902; owner occupancy is 87.1%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Nevada County, so 95949 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 95949
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Grass Valley, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 95949.
- Construction
Construction
87 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
39 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
38 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 29
Other services (except public administration)
29 establishments
- Retail trade 28
Retail trade
28 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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
Who lives in ZIP 95949?
53.7
Median Age
51.0%
Male
49.0%
Female
4.4%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$50,821
Per Capita Income
10.4%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
26.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 95949 ranks among California ZIPs
Grass Valley, CA household income vs. every California ZIP code
Median household income among 1,583 reporting California ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$98,181 Top 45% higher than 55% of 1,583 California ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more California 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
8,905housing units
8,905
Total Housing Units
8,380
Occupied Units
525
Vacant Units
2.45
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$550,800
Median Home Value
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$1,902
Median Rent
1984
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
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.
- 95949
Grass Valley (95949)
19,741 residents
- 95602
Auburn (95602)
17,509 residents
- 95946
Penn Valley (95946)
9,790 residents
- 95722 4,585
Meadow Vista (95722)
4,585 residents
- 95975 1,769
Rough And Ready (95975)
1,769 residents
- 95703 897
Applegate (95703)
897 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 95949 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 95949 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 95722
Meadow Vista (95722)
$125,625 median income
- 95975
Rough And Ready (95975)
$103,216 median income
- 95703
Applegate (95703)
$100,214 median income
- 95949
Grass Valley (95949)
$98,181 median income
- 95602
Auburn (95602)
$97,466 median income
- 95946
Penn Valley (95946)
$84,795 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 95949, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (19,741 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Nevada County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 95949's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 95949 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Grass Valley, CA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.