Magalia Community Church · National Register of Historic Places
Magalia’s story
165 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1861Magalia is settled
MagaliaCA
The town was settled in 1861 and has 7,389 residents today.
2 bordering townsMap →
Magalia Community Church · Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
7,389
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$265K
−2% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
47.8
years
Jobs based here
451
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#779 of 841 in CA
Is Magalia a good place to live?
Several subjects drag its grade down. Where it falls short is incomes: the median household income is $57K, and just over one in ten residents live below the poverty line. Overall, Magalia earns a D−, which places it 779th of 841 in California. It comes out better than 2% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $265K, 3.9 years of the Chico metro’s $68K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities, with wildfire at the top. Magalia Community Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its average commute is 37 minutes, where California’s towns sit at 28 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · FEMA National Risk Index · National Register of Historic Places.
A shrinking town
Magalia has shrunk 31% from 2010 to 2020
11,310 counted in 2010 and 7,795 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Magalia grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Magalia is from typical.
Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workDOpen →Hazard riskWildfire tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.4 of 20; 1.4% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthEnloe Health 13.9 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsC+Open →
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.
Housing market76 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.8; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Magalia: who provides what
Magalia is unincorporated, so Butte County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDel Oro Water Co.-Paradise PinesNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesButte CountyButte 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 hereButte County ElectionsButte County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code9595495954 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 Magalia.
Magalia has a longer frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has home values still below their peak.
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, Magalia earns a C−
The typical value, about $265K, is 16% below its July 2022 peak. At about $265K, home values are down 11% in five years, against a rise of 13% across California.
Magalia: 83% of households own their home. The typical Magalia home is worth about $265,000, down 2% in a year, 65% below the California typical home. For Magalia, the rent at the middle of the market is $1,478 a month.
$265KZillow home value
| Magalia | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,478 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Magalia$265K
California$762K
Market temperature
76
days on market
100.4%
sale-to-list price
−2%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Magalia fall behind 56% of California districts
Public schools: the Paradise Unified school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. 2 public schools serve Magalia, with 450 students in all.
44%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedarwood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 271 | – |
| Upward International Schools, Pines Academy Campus PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 1–12 | Grades 1–12 | 54 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Magalia has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from wildfire
Expected losses in Magalia break down as 55% from wildfires and 25% from inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Magalia after 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2023. The national flood insurance program has paid one claim locally since 1983.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingEarthquakes
1
paid flood claims since 1983
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
For most of its workers, the job is outside Magalia
Magalia has 451 jobs for its 2,273 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 37.3 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Magalia for work: only 7% work in town. Employers in Magalia added 42 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 451. The top destinations are Chico (26%), Paradise (13%) and Oroville (6%). Half of commuters travel less than 16 miles.
7%work in town
| Magalia | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Magalia7%
Chico26%
Paradise13%
Oroville6%
Durham3%
16 mi
median commute distance
451
jobs based in Magalia
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 25% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Magalia
The Paradise weather station, 5 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 313 days, longer than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Magalia’s peak summer temperature stands at 92°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–55°
Spring44–67°
Summer60–89°
Fall51–74°
Dec 18
typical first frost
Feb 7
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Health in Magalia trails 60% of U.S. towns
Against the 7,996 U.S. towns with household incomes like Magalia’s, it is healthier than 67%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Among adults in Magalia, 15% smoke cigarettes. The town beats the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. Two figures for adults locally: 16% report frequent physical distress, 26% have been diagnosed with depression.
40%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Magalia | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. California
6 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Magalia | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.8% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.7% | 14.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 5.1% |
Enloe Health
13.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
29th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC−
Conservation land takes up 1.6% of Magalia
In 1 park or preserve, walkers have 2.9 miles of trail. Magalia’s density of trails comes in at 0.2 miles per square mile.
#643for trails in CA
| Magalia | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
1.6%
conserved · 143 of 9,040 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bille Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Lassen Volcanic National Park and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Magalia. Close and well known come first.
36 mi National ParkLassen Volcanic National Park505K visitors a year
20 mi DamOroville Dam
10 mi Park & preserveBidwell Park
13 mi MuseumChico Air Museum
14 mi MuseumMuseum of Northern California ArtSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lassen Volcanic National Park: en:User:Mav, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Oroville Dam: California Department of Water Resources, Public domain · Bidwell Park: Saopaulo1 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chico Air Museum: Bsudicky, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Museum of Northern California Art: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Magalia
17pages on Magalia
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Magalia
Butte CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oroville11.8 mi$1,356 in-state tuitionCal Northern School of LawUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Chico12.7 miCalifornia State University-ChicoUniversity or college · Public · Chico14 mi$8,472 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Magalia residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Magalia for work
Where Magalia’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
451jobs based in Magalia
7%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Magalia’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Magalia.
Butte Creek CanyonParadiseMagalia
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magalia | #779 | D− | C− | — | C+ | C+ |
| Butte Creek Canyon | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Paradise | #642 | D | D | C+ | C+ | B− |
Magalia reports no FBI crime data of its own. Butte Creek Canyon isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Magalia with a neighbor →
Questions about Magalia
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Magalia, CA a good place to live?
Magalia grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #779 of 841 in California. It grades C+ for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Magalia, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.