Nevada City

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Nevada City, CA

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You’ll hit the jackpot in California’s best preserved Gold Rush town

Quaint Rural Artistic Shopping Theater Quirky

Emerging during the California Gold Rush, Nevada City is a historic, quaint city. As one of California’s best preserved Gold Rush towns, you’ll see the town’s rich past reflected in the vibrant downtown area. In this historic district, gorgeous 19thcentury buildings have transformed into quirky shops, eclectic boutiques, low-key cafes, diverse eateries, neighborhood bars, and entertainment venues. Catch a show at the Nevada Theatre, the oldest theatre venue on the west coast, or dance the night away at Haven Underground. If you want to learn more about Nevada City’s role in the Gold Rush, visit the Firehouse Museum, which showcases relics from the era. You can even try your luck and pan for gold in one of the town’s rivers!

Located one hour northeast of Sacramento, nestled in a basin in the Sierra Nevada a few miles west of the Tahoe National Forest, Nevada City is a great option for nature lovers. The city is verdant with a variety of parks, ponds, and trailheads for residents to explore. Sugarloaf Mountain Open Space, Hirschman's Pond Public Land, and Pioneer Park are just a few examples of the brilliant natural areas available in Nevada City. Along with lush scenery and a thrilling downtown area, families adore Nevada City for its great schools — some with the highest test scores in the state. If you’re looking for an old-fashioned town with modern conveniences, you’ll strike gold when looking for your next apartment in Nevada City!

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Nevada City, CA is $862 for a studio, $914 for one bedroom, and $1,800 for two bedrooms. Apartment rent in Nevada City has increased by 0.7% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$914/month
750 Sq Ft
House
$2,569/month
1,718 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Nevada City, CA

Transportation

29

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

18

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Seven Hills Intermediate

Public

Grades 4-8

399 Students

6
out of 10

Deer Creek Elementary

Public

Grades K-3

285 Students

6
out of 10

Grizzly Hill

Public

Grades K-8

94 Students

2
out of 10

Nevada County Special Education School

Public

Grades K-8

58 Students

Rating Unavailable

Seven Hills Intermediate

Public

Grades 4-8

399 Students

6
out of 10

Grizzly Hill

Public

Grades K-8

94 Students

2
out of 10

Nevada County Special Education School

Public

Grades K-8

58 Students

Rating Unavailable

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Empire Mine State Historic Park
  • Shady Creek Outdoor School
  • Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
  • South Yuba River State Park

Top Apartments in Nevada City

Houses for Rent in Nevada City

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.