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The Lookout handbook

Living in Lookout, CA: what to set up and who to call

Lookout has no town government of its own, so Modoc County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Big Valley Joint Unified School District. Power in Lookout comes from Surprise Valley Electrification, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Lookout has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Modoc County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Lookout’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Lookout, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerSurprise Valley Electrificationcooperative utility · 13.5¢/kWhMore →
InternetWhich providers serve LookoutData pending · FCC map (D4)
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lookout’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolBig Valley Joint Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code96054Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Lookout.

Electricity

Power comes from Surprise Valley Electrification

Surprise Valley Electrification (Surprise Valley Electrification), a cooperative utility, serves all of Lookout. Its homes paid an average of 13.5¢ per kWh in 2025, about $128 a month (its average across California).

Start or move service: www.surprisevalleyelectric.org · (530) 233-3511

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

Which providers serve Lookout

Data pending · D4

This card will list the home internet providers the FCC’s National Broadband Map shows in Lookout, the share of addresses that can get 100/20 Mbps and the share with fiber, with the map’s “as of” date.

Source to come: FCC Broadband Data Collection.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Lookout’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Lookout.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileLookout has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Lookout kids go to
K–7Big Valley Elementaryin Bieber
8–12Big Valley Jr. Sr. Highin Bieber

Lookout is in Big Valley Joint Unified School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Lookout is unincorporated, so Modoc County is the local government.

Local governmentModoc CountyLookout is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereModoc County Clerk-ElectionsElections here are run by Modoc County (county election office). 108 E Modoc St, Alturas, CA 96101-4119 · (530) 233-6200 · [email protected]FVAP, Jul 2025
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.govCheck your registration and polling placevoterstatus.sos.ca.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jul 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Lookout is in ZIP code 96054

ZIP codes where Lookout residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of LookoutZIP’s residents in Lookout
96054Lookout, CA100%24%
Area code530Wikidata

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomMayers Memorial Hospital19.1 miles awayGet a library cardModoc County LibraryNearest branch: Lookout Library, 166 Main Street · (530) 294-5776

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Lookout

Who provides electricity in Lookout?

Surprise Valley Electrification (Surprise Valley Electrification), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 13.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What ZIP codes are in Lookout?

96054. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Lookout in?

Big Valley Joint Unified School District.

How do I register to vote in Lookout?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Modoc County Clerk-Elections. Check your registration at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet (FCC): pending.