PlainZIP

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
$54,205
Median income
$273,700
Median home value
16.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 California average), while per-capita income is $34,543. The poverty rate stands at 13.2% and the unemployment rate at 15.3%. Median home value sits at $273,700 (65% below the state average), median rent at $990 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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 -. To put 96122 in local context, 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Plumas County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 + 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

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 96122?

46.0

Median Age

54.3%

Male

45.7%

Female

12.7%

Foreign-Born

White 80.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 5.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.4%

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

$34,543

Per Capita Income

13.2%

Poverty Rate

15.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 96122 ranks nationally

Portola, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$54,205 20th percentile higher than 20% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 48.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.0%

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

What does housing look like?

2,481

Total Housing Units

1,806

Occupied Units

675

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.4%
Renter 30.6%

$273,700

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 96122 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 Code City Population Distance
96129 Beckwourth, CA 261 6.8 mi
96106 Clio, CA 479 7.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Plumas County

95971 standard
Quincy, CA
Pop: 5,970
96020 standard
Chester, CA
Pop: 2,416
95947 standard
Greenville, CA
Pop: 1,899
96103 standard
Blairsden Graeagle, CA
Pop: 1,725
96105 standard
Chilcoot, CA
Pop: 527
96106 standard
Clio, CA
Pop: 479

Related Areas

Plumas County Portola, CA California

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.