Asian, Black and Hispanic populations are driving Placer County growth, new data shows

Esther Sun, Phillip Reese
·2 min read

Placer County’s population growth in 2023 was largely a result of in-migration from Asian, Black and Hispanic populations, new census figures released last week show.

One of the fastest growing counties in California, Placer County is predominantly white, but has seen increased interest from families and individuals of color in recent years.

From April 2020 to July 2023, the county’s Asian population grew by around 8,300, or roughly 25%, according to data released Thursday. The Black population also expanded significantly by around 1,400, or 20%. The Hispanic population grew by 7,000, or 12%, and the white population in the county essentially held steady.

Whereas California’s overall population is expected to remain flat over the next 40 years, the state Department of Finance has projected growth in certain pockets, many of which are in the Sacramento region. Between 2020 and 2060, the entire population of Placer County is projected to grow by about 25%.

“I have seen definite growth in our community,” said Christianna Heihn, secretary of regional nonprofit AAPI Placer County. “A lot more diversity, a growing AAPI community, more AAPI businesses.”

High-quality schools and robust parks and recreation services were key factors that Heihn, a mother of two children, said attracted her to Placer County when she moved in 2018.

“(We’re) just trying to say, ‘Hey, yes, AAPI in Placer County exist,’” said Heihn, who helps lead AAPI Placer County advocacy near the Capitol in Sacramento.

Population growth in Sacramento area

In the four-county Sacramento region, the Asian and Hispanic populations continued to grow rapidly, while Black population numbers held steady and the number of white, non-Hispanic residents declined. The number of Asian residents increased by about 33,000, or 10%, from April 2020, and the number of Hispanic residents were up by about 24,000, or 5%.

During the same period, the number of white residents fell by 44,000, or 4%, and the number of non-Hispanic Black residents held firm.

In total, the region grew by about 23,000 people, or 1%, from 2020 to 2023.

As the Sacramento region showed modest growth, the Bay Area saw significant population declines. The San Francisco metro area lost about 182,000 residents, or 4% of its population, from April 2020 to July 2023. The San Jose metro lost about 55,000 people, or 3% of its population.

More and more Bay Area residents have moved to Sacramento in recent years, drawn largely by a lower cost of living among other factors. The Bay Area exodus, jumpstarted during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought many residents to other states such as Texas but also to other Californian cities farther inland.

According to the census data, the Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego metro areas also lost residents, while many inland metros continued to gain people.