Indian Pools, 2010
Big Creek’s story
114 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 3 maps from 1953 on.
- 1912Big Creek is settled
Big CreekCA
A town of 69, settled in 1912.
Population
69
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$362K
Census ACS
Median age
39.8
years
Land area
1 sq mi
Is Big Creek a good place to live?
30% of residents live below the poverty line in Big Creek, above both the California town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 847 California towns, just 6 have a lower January low than Big Creek. 90% of the land in Big Creek is conserved, where California’s towns sit at 4.3% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Big Creek has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
69 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
Moving to Big Creek: who provides what
Big Creek is unincorporated, so Fresno County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBig Creek Community Serv Dist water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers46% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesFresno CountyFresno County provides services here
SchoolsBig Creek Elementary School DistrictSierra Unified School District (9-12)2 districts serve Big Creek; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereFresno County Clerk, Registrar of VotersFresno County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes93605, 9363493605 89% · 93634 11%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 Big Creek.
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Big Creek is conserved land
2.1 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. The trail density in Big Creek is 4.2 miles per square mile.
90.1%conserved
90.1%
conserved · 263 of 292 acres
2.1 mi
of trails · 4.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Schools
The schools Big Creek’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Big Creek Elementary school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Creek ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 21 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
High risk in Big Creek, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Big Creek
Big Creek has chilly winters and pleasant summers. Big Creek’s July high is 78°F.
78°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–46°
Spring30–54°
Summer47–75°
Fall37–62°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Jun 1
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
78°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Big Creek is
Big Creek beats the California average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 26% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Big Creek.
| Big Creek | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 29% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 72% | 79% |
32 measures vs. California
5 better16 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Big Creek | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.4% | 14.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.5% | 5.1% |
Mammoth Hospital
34.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Big Creek
16pages on Big Creek
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Big Creek; the nearest are
Clovis Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fresno34.5 mi$1,378 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-FresnoUniversity or college · Public · Fresno38.5 mi$7,350 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Big Creek residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Big Creek
Census-designated place in California, United States
Big Creek (Big Creek Flats in the 1870s; Manzanita Park in 1902; until 1926, Cascada) is a small census-designated place in Fresno County, California, located in the Sierra Nevada on the north bank of Big Creek. It lies at an elevation of 4,984 feet (1,519 m) above sea level. As of the 2020 census, Big Creek had a population of 151. The ZIP code is 93605, and the community is inside area code 559.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,984 ft
- ZIP code
- 93605
- Area code
- 559
Questions about Big Creek
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Big Creek, CA a good place to live?
Big Creek has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.