States › California › Sierra County › ZIP 96118
ZIP code
ZIP 96118
FHFA notes: The FHFA HPI is a broad measure of the movement of single-family house prices. The FHFA HPI is a weighted, repeat-sales index, meaning that it measures average price changes in repeat sales or refinancings on the same properties. FHFA describes its ZIP code indexes as developmental: they may be revised as new data arrive or methods change, and the index does not give a dollar value for any home.
The federal house price index for ZIP 96118 (Sierra County, California) runs from 1998 to 2024 and has risen +221.0% over that time, from a base of 100 to 321. FHFA's most recent value for this area is for 2024, so every span here ends in 2024.
Over the ten years to 2024 the index rose +99.3%, about +7.1% a year: well above Sierra County (+78.2%), above California (+89.3%) and above the national index (+87.9%).
From its 2006 peak the index fell −56.7% to a 2011 low and regained the peak in 2024.
Building activity is measured at county level: Sierra County authorised 0 housing units in the 12 months to August 2026, 0.0 per 1,000 residents.
Same span, five levels
| Change in the FHFA index | ZIP 96118 | Sierra County | Metro area | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year (2023–2024) | — | +5.5% | — | +4.4% | +4.9% |
| 5 years (2019–2024) | +52.9% | +28.2% | — | +41.9% | +47.2% |
| 10 years (2014–2024) | +99.3% | +78.2% | — | +89.3% | +87.9% |
| 20 years (2004–2024) | +61.9% | +46.0% | — | +95.5% | +95.7% |
| Since 2000 | +157.9% | +111.1% | — | +221.7% | +151.2% |
| Since 1998 | +221.0% | +174.2% | — | +291.2% | +183.9% |
| 10-year annualised | +7.1% | +5.9% | — | +6.6% | +6.5% |
| 20-year annualised | +2.4% | +1.9% | — | +3.4% | +3.4% |
Every column uses FHFA's annual all-transactions index family and the same start and end years, so the figures are directly comparable. A dash means the level has no index for that span.
Decade by decade
| Decade | Change | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s (2000–2010) | — | +29.7% | |
| 2020s so far (2020–2024) | +39.6% | +42.9% |
FHFA reports each index with a value of 100 in its base period, the first year the area has enough transactions (1998 here). A decade's change is the index at the end of the decade divided by the index at the start, so it does not depend on the base year; the United States column covers the same years. Decades before 1998 are not shown.
Peak-to-low declines
Falls of 5% or more from a previous high in the annual index, and the year the earlier peak was regained.
| Peak | Low | Decline | Peak regained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2011 | −56.7% | 2024 |
Building permits in Sierra County
Permits are reported by county and by permit-issuing place, not by ZIP code. Housing units authorised in Sierra County, latest 12 months.
Housing units authorised in Sierra County by month, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026single-family2+ unit buildings
Full permit history and every city in Sierra County
Other ZIP codes in Sierra County
Ranked by ten-year change in the FHFA index.
| ZIP | 1 year | 10 years | Since 2000 | Index through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95960 | +3.3% | +128.6% | — | 2022 |
All 2 ZIP codes in Sierra County
Questions and answers
How much have home values in ZIP 96118 risen over 10 years?
The FHFA house price index for 96118 rose +99.3% between 2014 and 2024, about +7.1% a year compounded. Over five years the change was +52.9% and over one year —.
How does 96118 compare with Sierra County?
Over the same ten years to 2024, Sierra County rose +78.2%, California +89.3% and the United States +87.9%, against +99.3% for the ZIP.
What happened to prices in 96118 after 2007?
The index peaked in 2006, fell −56.7% to its 2011 low and passed the earlier peak again in 2024. Nationally the fall was −21.3% from 2007 to 2012.
How many homes are being built in 96118?
Building permits are published by place and county, not by ZIP. Sierra County authorised 0 housing units in the 12 months to August 2026, −100.0% on the previous 12 months. The county page lists permits by month and by city.
Where does the index for this ZIP come from?
From the Federal Housing Finance Agency's annual five-digit ZIP code house price index (all-transactions), last updated March 31, 2026. FHFA labels the ZIP-level indexes developmental: they are calibrated on appraisal values and sales prices for mortgages bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and may be revised. The index tracks price changes for the same homes over time; it does not give a dollar value for any home.
Provenance
Index: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual house price index for five-digit ZIP codes (all-transactions, developmental), last updated March 31, 2026, values 1998–2024, public domain. County, state and national comparison series are FHFA's annual indexes for those levels from the same release. ZIP to county assignment uses the Census Bureau's 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file (largest land share); county to metro uses OMB's July 2023 delineations. Permits: Census Bureau Building Permits Survey through August 2026. Errors in processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. FHFA HPI datasets.