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Placer County, CA

Roseville

RANK #746 / 996 NAT  ·  #18 / 43 CA  ·  POP 406,608

1YR FORECAST: +0.1%

5YR OUTLOOK: +17%

#35 Best Climate & Terrain
Our model projects Placer County's housing market at +0.1% over the next year, underperforming most U.S. counties.

[01] Why Placer County?

Placer County, California, stretches from the Sacramento Valley to Lake Tahoe, offering diverse landscapes from oak-covered foothills to alpine peaks. Auburn, a notable town, blends Gold Rush history with outdoor recreation, featuring historic downtown streets and trails along the American River. The county is located northeast of Sacramento, with commutes to the state capital facilitated by services like the Placer Commuter Express. Residents enjoy extensive outdoor recreation, including over 30 miles of trails at Hidden Falls Regional Park, access to lakes like Folsom and Rollins for water sports, and winter activities in the Sierra Nevada.

Life in Placer County attracts families and remote workers, drawn by highly-rated public schools and a variety of communities. The economy is expanding with investments in commercial and residential development, as well as energy and infrastructure. Healthcare and local government are significant employers. The county's economic development initiatives aim to maintain its quality of life by fostering a diverse economy.

[02] Market Snapshot

Housing Ratio
9.5x

Overvalued relative to economy

GDP Growth
+2.3%

Below national median

Home Prices
-1.3%

Prices declining

Climate & Terrain
6.0

Favorable climate & terrain

Price/Rent
21x

Prices detached from rents

Housing looks overvalued at 9.5x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.

[03] Top Employers

  1. 1
    Placer County Government Government
    10,000+
  2. 2
    Kaiser Permanente Healthcare
  3. 3
    Sutter Health Healthcare
  4. 4
    Roseville Joint Union High School District Education
  5. 5
    Sierra College Education
  6. 6
    City of Roseville Government
  7. 7
    Intel Technology
  8. 8
    Hewlett-Packard (HP) Technology
  9. 9
    Union Pacific Railroad Logistics
  10. 10
    The Galleria at Roseville Retail

Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.

[04] Home Value Growth vs National

Placer County U.S. National

The Numbers

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
406,608
+1.57% YoY
Median Household Income
$109,375
Median Home Value
$627,100
-1.34% 12mo
Median Rent
$1,874
Average Annual Pay
$72,804
+2.9% YoY
Employment
186,942
+1.3% YoY
Income-to-Home-Value
0.1744
Less affordable than average
Migration Inflow
5.78%
of pop. from another state
Bachelor's Degree+
42.4%
of residents (national avg: 33%)

Market Activity

REAL ESTATE
Median Sale Price
$640,000
Days on Market
41
Moderate pace
Months of Supply
2.9
Seller's market
Sale-to-List Ratio
98.7%
Near asking price
Sold Above List
26.0%
Listings w/ Price Drops
22.5%
Building Permits (2024)
3,713
Single-Family Permits
2,828

Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →

[05] Crime & Safety

A
SAFETY
GRADE
Homicide Rate
1.9
per 100K · nat avg 6.3
Firearm Fatalities
7.4
per 100K · nat avg 14.8
Injury Deaths
57.6
per 100K · nat avg 76.3
vs National Average
Well below national avg
based on homicide rate

Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →

[06] Air Quality

C+
AIR QUALITY
GRADE
Median AQI (3yr)
54.7
Moderate
Good Air Days
41%
450 of 1,095 days
Unhealthy+ Days (3yr)
80
Includes 14 Very Unhealthy
Primary Pollutant
Ozone
Ground-level ozone
Yearly Trend
2021
58
2022
54
2023
52
Median AQI · lower is better

Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →

[07] Capital Investment

$2,832M
TOTAL
PROJECT AMOUNT STATUS
Placer Ranch Specific Plan (Placer One)
Taylor Builders, Sacramento State, Sierra College
$1,000M Under Construction
Sunset Area Infrastructure Financing Plan
Placer County
$607M Planned
Placer Vineyards
Multiple Developers
$500M Under Construction
Country Acres Solar Project
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and Clēnera
$450M Under Construction
Roseville Energy Park
City of Roseville
$225M Operating
Placer County Government Center Master Plan
Placer County
$50M Planned

Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.

[08] Score Breakdown

GDP Growth +2.3% 43 percentile
Population Growth +1.6% 84 percentile
Income Growth +9.7% 76 percentile
Vacancy Rate 0.7% 85 percentile
Home Price Change -1.3% 19 percentile
Rent Growth +2.1% 35 percentile
Price/Rent 21x 6 percentile

Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.

[09] Frequently Asked Questions

Is Placer County, CA a good place to move to?

At 24/100, Placer County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 996 counties we track. Median income of $109,375 combined with job growth of +1.3% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.

Is Placer County affordable?

Placer County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $627,100 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.17 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,874/month on average.

Is Placer County growing or shrinking?

Placer County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.6% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.3% clip. Home values shifted -1.3% in the past year.

Are people moving to Placer County?

In significant numbers — 5.78% of Placer County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.

[10] Similar Counties by Size & Score

Alameda County, CA 25 Yolo County, CA 25 San Joaquin County, CA 23 Riverside County, CA 26 Sacramento County, CA 28 Tuolumne County, CA 20 Charleston County, SC 24 Horry County, SC 23