French Gulch Historic District · National Register of Historic Places
French Gulch’s story
170 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1856French Gulch is settled
French GulchCA
It counts 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: NoeHill · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
154
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
60.9
years
Jobs based here
32
A commuter town
Is French Gulch a good place to live?
French Gulch’s midpoint age is 60.9 years, against 39 years in California’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. French Gulch’s density of trails is 0.2 miles per square mile, below both California’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). Its National Register listings include French Gulch Historic District and Gladstone Houses. French Gulch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes French Gulch stand out
Where French Gulch beats most towns.
Small town
154 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to French Gulch: who provides what
French Gulch is unincorporated, so Shasta County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShasta Csa - French Gulch, #11 water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesShasta CountyShasta County provides services here
SchoolsFrench Gulch-Whiskeytown Elementary School DistrictShasta Union High School District2 districts serve French Gulch; 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 hereShasta County Clerk-ElectionsShasta County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9603396033 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 French Gulch.
Schools
The schools French Gulch’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the French Gulch-Whiskeytown Elementary school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Gulch-Whiskeytown ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 18 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: very high risk in French Gulch, mostly wildfire
In French Gulch, the risk rating from FEMA is 99 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 66% come from wildfires and 26% from inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in French Gulch after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2020.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
More than half of French Gulch’s working residents commute to Redding
The median commute is under 17 miles. The share of working residents in French Gulch who work locally: 1%. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in French Gulch dropped by 43, to 32. The town’s mean commuting time comes in at 31 minutes.
1%work in town
| French Gulch | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In French Gulch1%
Redding54%
Anderson5%
Chico4%
Centerville4%
17 mi
median commute distance
32
jobs based in French Gulch
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect four seasons and hot summers in French Gulch
French Gulch’s typical July afternoon high stands at 94°F.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–52°
Spring43–68°
Summer58–91°
Fall47–74°
Nov 22
typical first frost
Mar 19
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy French Gulch is
For adults 18 to 64 in French Gulch, the share who have no health insurance is 4.7%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, French Gulch is ahead of California on 13 and behind on 7. Two figures for adults here: 31% feel lonely, 78% had a checkup this year.
| French Gulch | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 36% | 33% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 4.7% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 78% | 72% | 79% |
32 measures vs. California
13 better12 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | French Gulch | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.7% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.9% | 6.4% |
Shasta Regional Medical Center
15.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
2.1%conserved
2.1%
conserved · 167 of 7,872 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
The median home in French Gulch sells for about $287K
For French Gulch, the going rate for rent is $1,125 a month. In French Gulch, 87% of households are owner-occupiers.
$287Kmedian sale price
| French Gulch | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,125 a month | $1,896 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 14 attractions →Shasta–Trinity National Forest and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around French Gulch. Close and well known come first.
16 mi National forestShasta–Trinity National Forest
3 mi National Recreation AreaWhiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area764K visitors a year
16 mi MuseumWeaverville Joss House State Historic Park
16 mi MuseumTurtle Bay Exploration Park
16 mi TheatreCascade Theatre
16 mi GardenMcConnell Arboretum & Botanical GardensSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Shasta–Trinity National Forest: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area: RoyalMayfair, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Turtle Bay Exploration Park: DimiTalen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cascade Theatre: Publichall, CC BY-SA 3.0 · McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens: Daderot, CC0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about French Gulch
17pages on French Gulch
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of French Gulch; the nearest are
Simpson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Redding17.2 mi$39,708 tuitionCollege of the SiskiyousCommunity college · Public · Weed49.6 mi$1,444 in-state tuitionCalifornia State Polytechnic University-HumboldtUniversity or college · Public · Arcata76.6 mi$8,250 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 French Gulch residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave French Gulch for work
Where French Gulch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
32jobs based in French Gulch
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About French Gulch
Place in California, United States
French Gulch is a census-designated place (CDP) in Shasta County, California, United States. Its population is 373 as of the 2020 census, up from 346 from the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,394 ft
- ZIP code
- 96033
Questions about French Gulch
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is French Gulch, CA a good place to live?
French Gulch has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. It counts 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.