Portola, CA · standard
ZIP Code 96122
Plumas County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,883
- 25/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $54,205
- Median income Below-median income area
- $273,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 16.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Portola pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 20th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 25
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 96122 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 96122 covers 158.5 square miles in Portola, Plumas County, California (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,883 residents on file, a density of 25 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.
ZIP 96122 reports a modest median household income of $54,205 (47% below the average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,543. Unemployment is 15.3%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $273,700 (65% below the average California ZIP), and median rent is $990; owner occupancy is 69.4%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Plumas County, so 96122 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 96122
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Portola, CA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 96122.
- Construction
Construction
19 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
15 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
14 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
10 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
10 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 96122, Portola, 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
3,883
Population
158.5
Area (sq mi)
25
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 96122?
46.0
Median Age
54.3%
Male
45.7%
Female
12.7%
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?
$54,205
Median Household Income
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$34,543
Per Capita Income
13.2%
Poverty Rate
15.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 96122 ranks among California ZIPs
Portola, 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)
$54,205 10th percentile higher than 10% 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
2,481housing units
2,481
Total Housing Units
1,806
Occupied Units
675
Vacant Units
2.43
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$273,700
Median Home Value
-65% vs state ZIP avg
$990
Median Rent
1978
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
+0.6%
YoY Change (2024)
236
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+136%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 96122 have increased 0.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +136% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.5% | 177 |
| 2021 | +14.1% | 202 |
| 2022 | +19.7% | 242 |
| 2023 | -3.1% | 234 |
| 2024 | +0.6% | 236 |
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 96 business establishments in ZIP 96122, employing approximately 736 people with a combined annual payroll of $49,200,000.
96
Businesses
736
Employees
$49.2M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 19 | 19.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 15.6% |
| Retail trade | 14 | 14.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 10.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 10.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 5.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 4.2% |
| Information | 3 | 3.1% |
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 96122 vs 96129 →
ZIP 96122 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 96122
Portola (96122)
3,883 residents
- 96106 479
Clio (96106)
479 residents
- 96129 261
Beckwourth (96129)
261 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 96122 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 96122, 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 (3,883 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Plumas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 96122 in?
ZIP code 96122 (Portola) is located in Plumas County, California. Plumas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/plumas-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 96122?
ZIP code 96122 in Portola, CA has a population of 3,883 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 96122?
The median household income in ZIP 96122 is $54,205, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 96122?
The median home value in ZIP 96122 is $273,700, which is 2% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 96122?
The largest racial group in ZIP 96122 is White at 80.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 96122?
ZIP code 96122 has 96 business establishments employing approximately 736 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 96122?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 96122 are: Construction (19), Accommodation and food services (15), Retail trade (14). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 96122?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 96122 increased by 0.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 136%. 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 96122?
In ZIP code 96122, 48.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 96122?
In ZIP code 96122, approximately 69.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 96122?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 96122 is 13.2% 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 96122's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 96122 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Portola, CA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.