Southern Colusa County, 1927, 1927
Arbuckle’s story
150 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,037 in 1970, 3,484 in 2020. The archive holds 15 old photos and papers going back to 1927 and 5 maps from 1907 on.
- 1876Arbuckle is settled
ArbuckleCA
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
3,093
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$425K
+1.3% in a year
Household income
$87K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
500
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#502 of 841 in CA
Is Arbuckle a good place to live?
Arbuckle is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C− overall, ranked 502nd of 841 in California, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $87K. Expect to pay for it: the typical home is worth about $425K, 5.6 years of the county’s $76K median household income. Arbuckle’s trail density is 2.3 miles per square mile, where California’s towns sit at 1.0 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns.
What makes Arbuckle stand out
Where Arbuckle beats most towns.
A growing town
Arbuckle has grown 15% from 2010 to 2020
3,028 counted in 2010 and 3,484 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Arbuckle grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Arbuckle is from typical.
Hazard riskdrought tops the listC−Open →HealthColusa Medical Center 13.7 miles awayCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →Jobs & income500 jobs based hereBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 96° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.8; 9% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Arbuckle: who provides what
Arbuckle is unincorporated, so Colusa County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterArbuckle Public Utility DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesColusa CountyColusa County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereColusa County Clerk-Elections DepartmentColusa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9591295912 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Arbuckle.
Arbuckle has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has commutes shorter than most of California and has property taxes about half the California norm.
OutdoorsB
Arbuckle has set aside 0.6% of its land for conservation
In the comparison, Arbuckle comes against 4.3% in California’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. 3.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
#134for trails in CA
0.6%
conserved · 7 of 1,120 acres
3.9 mi
of trails · 2.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Balfour Park | — | 6 |
| 2. LaVanche Hursh Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB
Public schools in Arbuckle beat 56% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Pierce Joint Unified school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Pierce High, with 463 students.
56%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbuckle ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 604 | – |
| Pierce HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 463 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade C
Arbuckle’s grade for cost of living is a C
The median property tax bill is $2,383, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Arbuckle’s median rent is $1,224 a month. The typical Arbuckle home is worth about $425,000, up 1.3% in a year, 44% below the California typical home. 76% of households own their home in Arbuckle.
$425KZillow home value
| Arbuckle | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,224 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Arbuckle$425K
California$762K
+1.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most of Arbuckle’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them
The average commute for its 1,048 working residents takes 21.2 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Arbuckle for work: only 11% work in town. The average trip to work in Arbuckle is 21 minutes. The top destinations are Woodland (7%), Colusa (6%) and Sacramento (5%).
11%work in town
| Arbuckle | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.4% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $87,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Arbuckle11%
Woodland7%
Colusa6%
Sacramento5%
Williams5%
27 mi
median commute distance
500
jobs based in Arbuckle
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Drought leads a high hazard risk in Arbuckle
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtEarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC
Arbuckle is less healthy than 73% of U.S. towns
Arbuckle beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 67% of Arbuckle adults had a checkup this year.
27%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Arbuckle | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 72% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 16% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Arbuckle | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 20% | 10.6% |
Colusa Medical Center
13.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
21st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Arbuckle
July afternoons average 96.3°, hotter than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 37.9°.
Arbuckle has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
| Arbuckle | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 38°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–59°
Spring48–75°
Summer60–94°
Fall49–79°
Dec 1
typical first frost
Feb 14
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Arbuckle
18pages on Arbuckle
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Arbuckle; the nearest are
Yuba CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marysville29 mi$1,128 in-state tuitionUniversity of California-DavisUniversity or college · Public · Davis36.8 mi$16,774 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Arbuckle residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Arbuckle for work
Where Arbuckle’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
500jobs based in Arbuckle
11%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Arbuckle
Census-designated place in California, United States
Arbuckle is a census-designated place (CDP) in Colusa County, California, United States. The population was 3,484 at the 2020 census. Arbuckle is situated in the southerly portion of Colusa County, approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of the City of Colusa, the county seat. The town is characterized by single-family residences, multiple-family units, some mobile homes, commercial activities, and a lack of barns. Land surrounding Arbuckle is agriculture including cultivated annual crops, and both active and unmaintained orchards (primarily almond). Various almond hullers may be found near the area. Regional access is provided by the north–south running Interstate 5, along with Old Highwa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 141 ft
- ZIP code
- 95912
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Arbuckle
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Arbuckle, CA a good place to live?
Arbuckle grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #502 of 841 in California. It grades C for health and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Arbuckle, CA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
What is Arbuckle, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Frederick C. Weyand and Doug Mayberry.