Alpine County vs Sierra County
A side-by-side comparison of Alpine County and Sierra County: population, income, housing, and more.
Alpine County and Sierra County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Sierra County has the higher population (2,731 vs 1,695 in Alpine County). Alpine County has the higher median household income ($110,781 vs $60,000 in Sierra County). Alpine County has the higher median home value ($466,100 vs $334,100 in Sierra County).
Population, income & housing
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,695 | 2,731 |
| Median age | 41.1 yrs | 56.0 yrs |
| Median household income | $110,781 | $60,000 |
| Median home value | $466,100 | $334,100 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,181 |
| Housing units | 1,587 | 2,099 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.0% | 78.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 24.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 12.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,039 → 1,695 (+63.1%) | 3,040 → 2,731 (-10.2%) |
| Median household income | $63,750 → $110,781 (+73.8%) | $52,148 → $60,000 (+15.1%) |
| Median home value | $365,300 → $466,100 (+27.6%) | $231,400 → $334,100 (+44.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $538 → $639 (+18.8%) | $972 → $1,181 (+21.5%) |
Alpine County
1,0391,695
$63,750$110,781
$365,300$466,100
$538$639
Sierra County
3,0402,731
$52,148$60,000
$231,400$334,100
$972$1,181
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 9.5% | 0.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 13.1% | 12.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 7.3% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.1% | 3.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.4% | 10.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.7% | 13.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.5% | 17.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.8% | 19.3% |
| 75 and over | 1.9% | 15.2% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 58.6% | 88.8% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 24.6% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.7% | 9.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 3.7% | 8.6% |
| High school graduate | 18.5% | 33.9% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.7% | 33.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 22.4% | 14.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 19.7% | 9.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 54.5% | 70.8% |
| Carpooled | 15.2% | 11.7% |
| Public transit | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| Bicycle | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 25.5% | 13.0% |
| Other means | 0.0% | 2.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.7% | 91.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.7% | 0.6% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| 5 to 19 units | 14.5% | 0.0% |
| 20 or more units | 8.7% | 2.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.6% | 4.1% |
Poverty & households
| Alpine County | Sierra County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| Average household size | 3.42 | 2.18 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 31 | 29 |
| Median year structure built | 1981 | 1974 |
Full profiles
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