Planning on living in Pine Grove in the future? There’s so much to find out before moving to Pine Grove! Pine Grove is a small community named for the Pine Grove House, a lodging inn and restaurant that became the town’s first post office in 1856. Once the home of the Miwok tribe, Pine Grove is one of many former mining towns, specifically a gold mining and logging town, and the Pine Grove town hall was built in 1877.
Pine Grove is located on Highway 88, known as the “scenic route” to the Lake Tahoe region. The community sits at a perfect elevation of 2,400 feet, above the fog and heat of the valley and below the snow line.
Pine Grove is surrounded by oaks and pine trees, and only light snow falls each year, yet Kirkwood Ski Resort is only about an hour away. Access to the High Sierra and Carson Pass, with many lakes and rivers, makes Pine Grove an ideal place to live for outdoor enthusiasts.
Popular activities in the area include fishing, kayaking, skiing, and hiking in the surrounding parks and nature preserves. Pine Grove fits the criteria for anyone looking for an outdoorsy area with easy access to a large city! You’ll love living in Pine Grove.
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Where Is Pine Grove, CA?
Pine Grove is a census-designated place located in Amador County, about 65 miles southeast of Sacramento and about 43 miles northeast of Stockton. Amador County and Pine Grove are nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As with many foothill communities in the high Sierra Mountains of California, the roads getting to Pine Grove, especially Carson Pass, can be difficult and windy.
Most people don’t commute to Sacramento to work, but having the option is nice for many households or those who own a business. Pine Grove CA to Sacramento CA is about an hour’s drive.
Map of Pine Grove
Pine Grove CA Population and Demographics
The Pine Grove population is 3,386. The Miwok Indians, an indigenous tribe in California, traditionally lived near the coast where they fished, gathered acorns, and hunted deer and other game with bow and arrow. A band of Miwoks, seeking refuge from the heat, migrated to the foothills and high sierras that surround what is now Pine Grove.
During the Gold Rush era, people flocked to the region to find their fortune in gold and forced the Miwok from their land. Today, at nearby Indian Grinding Rock State Park, you can see a replica of Miwok Indian village structures and a museum about the history of the tribe.
Pine Grove Race & Ethnicity Data
- White alone: 85.7%
- Asian alone: 0.8%
- Two or more races: 4.4%
- Hispanic: 9.1%
Pine Grove’s demographics:
- Population density: 410 per square mile
- Median age: 55.4
- Sex ratio: 43.2% males, 56.8% females
- Median household income: $62,568
- Educational attainment: 94.7% high school degree or higher, 16.9% bachelor’s degree or higher
- Foreign-born population: 1.7%
- Veteran population: 354
Though Pine Grove is a small city in Amador County, they still have their own town hall and police department within their current boundaries. The Pine Grove Police Department is dedicated to serving the community and partnering with residents to make Pine Grove a safe place to live, work, and visit.
The crime rate is 47% lower than the national average in Pine Grove. There are 1,229 crimes per 100,000 people. Violent crime rates are 42% below the national average. There are 716 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Pine Grove CA Cost of Living
The cost of living in Pine Grove is 24% higher than the state average but 16% lower than the California average, making it an affordable place to live in the state. It’s cheaper than living in Sacramento, too! Housing costs are the most expensive part of the Pine Grove cost of living. Although housing costs in Pine Grove are 55% higher than the national average, the homes for sale in Pine Grove CA are 41% lower than the state average.
The median sale price of a home in Pine Grove is $445,000. The average cost per square foot of the Pine Grove CA homes currently for sale is $244. Check out the homes for sale Pine Grove CA, as they constantly change as things sell.
The average rent for Pine Grove CA apartments is $1,010 a month. In Sacramento, residents pay an average of $1,873 per month for rent. You can find apartments for rent and homes for rent in Pine Grove CA on Zillow.
Typical Pine Grove Living Expenses:
- Meal, inexpensive restaurant: $20.00
- Domestic beer: $7.00
- 1 gallon of milk: $4.61
- Dozen eggs: $4.29
- 1 pound of chicken: $7.00
- Average Pine Grove monthly utility bill: $372.59
Source: Numbeo, Sacramento
The Best Neighborhoods in Pine Grove
Pine Grove CA real estate features a variety of homes and styles, many of which are set on private lots, where there are more trees than people, and feature a country setting. Homes range from larger, custom-built homes with lots of living space to smaller, affordable ranch or bungalow-style houses priced well below the average for the area. Although the community is well established, Petersen Ranch is a new construction community in Pine Grove.
The stunning natural scenery and proximity to a number of lakes and rivers give the homes in Pine Grove a certain appeal that continues to attract new homebuyers to the area. Local family restaurants and shopping are close by, as well as parks, trails, nature preserves, and ski resorts.
Weather Pine Grove CA
Pine Grove’s mild year-round climate is an attractive part of living there. The temperature is much cooler than Sacramento’s climate, which brings a lot of people moving to Pine Grove. The Pine Grove CA weather is pleasant. Temperatures during the summer months usually range from the high 80s to the low 90s with high humidity levels.
Winters are mild and cool, with occasional cold spells. Does it snow in Pine Grove CA? The temperature rarely drops below freezing in Pine Grove, and snow is typically very light. You do, however, deal with a lot of valley fog. Pine Grove gets about 42 inches of rain per year which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the seasons. Typically it is a little drier in the summer months than in winter, though.
You’ll see an average of 5 inches of snow per year in Pine Grove. The community gets lots of sunshine. On average, there are 259 sunny days per year in Pine Grove, well above the national average of 205 sunny days. The best time to visit Pine Grove is from late June to mid-September.
Things to Do in Pine Grove CA
Pine Grove offers fun and interesting things to see and do for the whole family. In addition, enjoy convenient shopping at Pine Grove Market, Red Baron’s Bit of Everything, and Brent & Jeff’s Upcountry Hardware. Here are some of the top things to do in Pine Grove:
Black Chasm Cavern
Just outside of Pine Grove, the Black Chasm Cavern features spectacular formations with a beautiful blue lake. The cavern is made up of three platforms and five flights of stairs. Take a group tour with an experienced Cavern Naturalist, who will explain all the amazing features of Black Chasm.
15701 Pioneer Volcano Rd, Volcano, CA 95689, (888) 488-1960
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park, nestled in a little valley, boasts open meadows and three species of oaks that produce acorns. The park covers 135 acres of marbleized limestone and is the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America.
14881 Pine Grove Volcano Rd, Pine Grove, CA 95665, (209) 296-7488
Roaring Camp Mining Company
Roaring Camp was once a gold mine camp, and because it was very inaccessible, most of the gold at the camp still remained. The operating gold mine allows visitors to mine their own gold by panning, sluicing, metal detecting, and dry washing.
13010 Tabeaud Rd, Pine Grove, CA 95665, (209) 296-4100
Additional Attractions Near Pine Grove, CA:
- SeaQuest
- Eldorado National Forest
- Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort
- Amador Farmers Market Pine Grove CA
If you’re interested in more fun activities, the Pine Grove Park, situated right in the center of town, features a modern playground for kids as well as shade-covered dining areas and benches. The Park hosts a number of community events throughout the year. You can check out upcoming events on the Pine Grove Calendar.
The popular “Groovin’ in the Grove” celebration in July features live music and dancing, plus food and beverage vendors are onsite. In September, the annual “Celebrate Pine Grove” event has lots of activities for children and adults, with plenty of food, games, local service organizations, clubs, free drawings for prizes, and more.
Pine Grove CA Restaurants
There are some very good local places to eat after moving to Pine Grove. You can find Italian, Mexican, American, and more. Here are some of the most popular dining establishments near Pine Grove:
Giannini’s Italian Dinners
Giannini’s is a family-owned Italian restaurant that serves classic Italian dishes like veal parmigiana, tortellini, ravioli, and chicken piccata. Stop in for the pasta of the day. Giannini’s has a full bar as well. It’s a great place to have a tasty and pleasant Italian dinner. This is some of the best pizza Pine Grove CA has to offer.
19845 CA-88, Pine Grove, CA 95665, (209) 296-7222
Las Minas Mexican Restaurant
Las Minas not only serves awesome Mexican cuisine, but they also mix in European, mostly Spanish, elements to create new Mexican-style plates that are as delicious and spicy. They use only high-quality ingredients for the best food around. From enchiladas to chimichangas, tacos, burritos, and more, Las Minas has all the favorites.
20220 CA-88, Pine Grove, CA 95665, (209) 296-6400
Graze
Graze restaurant Pine Grove CA offers a unique dining experience where every dish is prepared from scratch using only the finest locally sourced ingredients. They serve up mouthwatering burgers, crunchy salads, and delicious vegan options. Graze caters to every palate with exceptional flavors and quality.
20153 CA-88, Pine Grove, CA 95665, (209) 296-4729
Jobs in Pine Grove CA
Pine Grove provides job opportunities in fields such as construction, accommodation & food services, and manufacturing. The city’s proximity to Sacramento and Stockton offers many additional employment possibilities. One of the major employers in Pine Grove is Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort. The casino, run by the Miwok tribe, operates gambling facilities that include table wagering games and other gambling activities like slot machines and sports betting.
Other top employers near Pine Grove include Timber Products, Sutter Amador Hospital, and Borjón Winery. If you’re moving to Pine Grove and looking for a job in Pine Grove, take a look at job openings on Indeed.
Schools in Pine Grove CA
Pine Grove is part of the Amador Unified School District, which has highly rated schools consisting of two comprehensive high schools, one alternative high school, two junior high schools, six elementary schools, a preschool, and an independent study program. The district enrolls about 4,000 students in the county.
The schools include a variety of programs geared toward meeting the needs of students in the most effective way, such as a STEM magnet school and a VAPA magnet school. The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program for grades 7 through 12 prepares students for college eligibility and success by placing academically average students in advanced classes, giving minority, rural, low-income, and other students without a college-going tradition in their families an opportunity to work hard and achieve the dream of going to college.
Private school options near Pine Grove include Whispering Pines Christian School and Mountain Oaks School.
For further education in the area near Pine Grove, options include Folsom Lake College, Santa Clara University, the University of California Berkeley, and Sierra College.
Be sure to also check out the Pine Grove Branch Library! Free for residents in the town, this is the ideal place to take your kids for a day off to get books, movies, and more. They serve all of Amador County.
Pine Grove CA Statistics & Information
- County: Amador County
- Area: 6.969 square miles
- Pine Grove CA zip code: 95665
- Area codes: 209
- Pine Grove CA elevation: 2,513 feet
- Time zone: Pacific Time Zone (UTC-7 and -8)
- Closest airport: Sacramento International Airport
Is moving to Pine Grove sounding like a dream? We can make that dream come true with the best Pine Grove movers! Whether you’re moving locally or long distance, we can help. Motherlode Moving is here to help you relocate with ease. Give us a call at 916-631-4285 for a free quote.
