Portola, California

File:Retrat_Gaspar_de_Portolà_(Lleida).jpg, first Governor of the Californias and leader of the Portolá expedition.]]

The town of Portola sits along both sides of the middle fork of the Feather River, in Plumas County, on the upper eastern part of Northern California. Portola lies off the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The local landscape is best described as being part of the Feather River drainage, which flows westward down the Feather River Canyon.

Portola is located at {{coord|39.810151|-120.469843|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|5.4|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.

Portola lies on the Middle Fork of the Feather River in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Feather River originate just east of Portola in Sierra Valley, near Beckwourth.[http://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/plumas Plumas National Forest - About the Forest]

Lake Davis is located approximately {{convert|6|mi|km}} north of Portola, and is a popular fishing and camping location. About {{convert|15|mi|km}} to the west and southwest of Portola, Plumas-Eureka State Park and Lakes Basin Recreation Area feature granite peaks, glacial lakes, streams, and temperate coniferous forests, which make them popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts.[http://www.chamberorganizer.com/easternplumaschamber/mem_plumas-eureka Plumas Eureka State Park Association - Blairsden, CA][http://plumascounty.org/Communities/LakesBasin.htm Communities: Lakes Basin, Plumas County Northern California]

Being on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Portola has a continental Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Dsb) with dry summers characterized by extreme diurnal temperature swings, and cold (though not severe) and snowy winters. Frosts occur on 218 mornings per year. Extreme cold is rare and temperatures below {{convert|0|F|C|1|}} are observed on only 2.6 mornings per winter in an average year.[http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/ca/047085.pdf Climatography of the United States No. 20 – Station: PORTOLA, CA (047085)] During the summer, daytime temperatures of {{convert|100|F|C|1|}} are reached on average only once every two years.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Portola, California (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1915–present)

| Jan record high F = 68

| Feb record high F = 72

| Mar record high F = 80

| Apr record high F = 86

| May record high F = 94

| Jun record high F = 110

| Jul record high F = 110

| Aug record high F = 107

| Sep record high F = 100

| Oct record high F = 92

| Nov record high F = 82

| Dec record high F = 72

| year record high F =

| Jan high F = 43.0

| Feb high F = 46.0

| Mar high F = 51.6

| Apr high F = 57.7

| May high F = 67.0

| Jun high F = 77.2

| Jul high F = 86.4

| Aug high F = 85.2

| Sep high F = 78.8

| Oct high F = 66.4

| Nov high F = 52.5

| Dec high F = 42.1

| year high F = 62.8

| Jan mean F = 31.1

| Feb mean F = 33.7

| Mar mean F = 38.4

| Apr mean F = 43.4

| May mean F = 51.0

| Jun mean F = 58.7

| Jul mean F = 65.5

| Aug mean F = 63.9

| Sep mean F = 58.0

| Oct mean F = 48.1

| Nov mean F = 38.3

| Dec mean F = 30.7

| year mean F = 46.7

| Jan low F = 19.3

| Feb low F = 21.4

| Mar low F = 25.3

| Apr low F = 29.1

| May low F = 35.1

| Jun low F = 40.1

| Jul low F = 44.6

| Aug low F = 42.6

| Sep low F = 37.1

| Oct low F = 29.7

| Nov low F = 24.1

| Dec low F = 19.4

| year low F = 30.7

| Jan record low F = -24

| Feb record low F = -21

| Mar record low F = -12

| Apr record low F = 3

| May record low F = 13

| Jun record low F = 20

| Jul record low F = 22

| Aug record low F = 19

| Sep record low F = 12

| Oct record low F = 3

| Nov record low F = -6

| Dec record low F = -28

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 4.16

| Feb precipitation inch = 3.93

| Mar precipitation inch = 3.57

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.55

| May precipitation inch = 1.15

| Jun precipitation inch = 0.52

| Jul precipitation inch = 0.34

| Aug precipitation inch = 0.30

| Sep precipitation inch = 0.44

| Oct precipitation inch = 1.07

| Nov precipitation inch = 2.03

| Dec precipitation inch = 4.28

| year precipitation inch = 23.34

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 8.7

| Feb precipitation days = 8.5

| Mar precipitation days = 8.1

| Apr precipitation days = 6.0

| May precipitation days = 5.7

| Jun precipitation days = 2.6

| Jul precipitation days = 1.0

| Aug precipitation days = 1.2

| Sep precipitation days = 1.8

| Oct precipitation days = 3.5

| Nov precipitation days = 6.2

| Dec precipitation days = 8.4

| year precipitation days = 61.7

| Jan snow inch = 11.7

| Feb snow inch = 7.6

| Mar snow inch = 6.4

| Apr snow inch = 1.8

| May snow inch = 0.2

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.1

| Oct snow inch = 0.4

| Nov snow inch = 2.4

| Dec snow inch = 7.2

| year snow inch = 37.8

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 1.9

| Feb snow days = 1.7

| Mar snow days = 1.5

| Apr snow days = 0.7

| May snow days = 0.2

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.1

| Oct snow days = 0.2

| Nov snow days = 1.0

| Dec snow days = 2.2

| year snow days = 9.5

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=rev

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = December 9, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00047085&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = December 9, 2023}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1950= 2261

|1960= 1874

|1970= 1625

|1980= 1885

|1990= 2193

|2000= 2227

|2010= 2104

|2020= 2100

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

The 2020 United States census reported that Portola had a population of 2,100. The population density was {{convert|388.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Portola was 77.5% White, 0.4% African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.7% Pacific Islander, 6.0% from other races, and 12.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.1% of the population.{{cite web |title=Portola city, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0658352 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 31, 2025}}

The census reported that 99.7% of the population lived in households, 0.3% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 910 households, out of which 30.1% included children under the age of 18, 40.8% were married-couple households, 7.7% were cohabiting couple households, 29.9% had a female householder with no partner present, and 21.6% had a male householder with no partner present. 32.2% of households were one person, and 16.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.3. There were 563 families (61.9% of all households).{{cite web |title=Portola city, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0658352 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 31, 2025}}

The age distribution was 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.1% aged 18 to 24, 25.3% aged 25 to 44, 25.0% aged 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 41.0{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males.

There were 1,077 housing units at an average density of {{convert|199.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 910 (84.5%) were occupied. Of these, 57.1% were owner-occupied, and 42.9% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $42,385, and the per capita income was $21,378. About 26.1% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line.{{cite web |title=Portola city, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0658352 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 31, 2025}}

The 2010 United States Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0658352|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715040256/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0658352|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Portola city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}} reported that Portola had a population of 2,104. The population density was {{convert|389.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Portola was 1,762 (83.7%) White, 13 (0.6%) African American, 54 (2.6%) Native American, 12 (0.6%) Asian, 1 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 198 (9.4%) from other races, and 64 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 342 persons (16.3%).

The Census reported that 2,080 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 24 (1.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 887 households, out of which 278 (31.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 378 (42.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 114 (12.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 53 (6.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 68 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 286 households (32.2%) were made up of individuals, and 113 (12.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 545 families (61.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.92.

The population was spread out, with 502 people (23.9%) under the age of 18, 198 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 462 people (22.0%) aged 25 to 44, 638 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 304 people (14.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

There were 1,134 housing units at an average density of {{convert|209.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, of which 482 (54.3%) were owner-occupied, and 405 (45.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 6.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 21.0%. 1,156 people (54.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 924 people (43.9%) lived in rental housing units.

The city is governed by a five-member council. Council members serve staggered four-year terms. The council chooses the mayor and mayor pro tem.{{Cite web

| url = http://www.ci.portola.ca.us/portola-city-council.htm

| title = Portola City Council

| publisher = City of Portola

| access-date = December 30, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141231031123/http://www.ci.portola.ca.us/portola-city-council.htm

| archive-date = December 31, 2014

| url-status = dead

}}

In the California State Legislature, Portola is in {{Representative|casd|1|fmt=sdistrict}},{{cite web |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators |title=Senators |access-date=March 10, 2013 |publisher=State of California}} and {{Representative|caad|1|fmt=adistrict}}.{{cite web |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |access-date=March 2, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}

In the United States House of Representatives, Portola is in {{Representative|cacd|1|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|1|access-date=March 3, 2013}}

The school district is Plumas Unified School District.{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06063_plumas/DC20SD_C06063.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Plumas County, CA|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date= December 18, 2020|access-date=2025-03-22}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06063_plumas/DC20SD_C06063_SD2MS.txt Text list]

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.plumasnews.com Portola Reporter - Local newspaper] No longer publishing
• [http://www.wplives.org/ Feather River Rail Society]
• [http://www.wplives.org/ Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola]
• [http://www.railroadinfo.com/triprprt/feather_02.html Article about the Portola Railroad Museum]
• http://www.portolarailroaddays.com
• http://www.discoverplumascounty.com
• https://www.easternplumaschamber.com

{{Plumas County, California}}

{{Sierra Nevada}}

{{Authority control}}

Portola

Portola

Category:Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)

Portola