Montague A28nCA3, 2008
Montague’s story
139 years in pictures
Census counts: 250 in 1890, 1,226 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1922 on.
- 1887Montague is settled
MontagueCA
A town of 1,157, settled in 1887.
Photo: Own work by Saltysailor (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,157
2025 Census estimate · −5.4% since 2020
Typical home
$257K
−1.4% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
34.7
years
Jobs based here
127
A commuter town
Is Montague a good place to live?
Montague’s best subject grades are a B+ for civic life and cost of living; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Montague, above both the California town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On cost of living, just 25 of California’s 1,058 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 95% of U.S. towns. Montague has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
A shrinking town
Montague has shrunk 20% since 2010
1,443 counted in 2010 and 1,226 in 2020; an estimated 1,157 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Montague grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Montague is from typical.
Jobs & income127 jobs based hereD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.6 of 20; 3.9% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthLess healthy than 64% of U.S. towns; Fairchild Medical Center 6 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.7; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Montague: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Montague, and how to reach them.
PowerPacific Power24.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Montague water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Montague’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMontague Elementary School DistrictYreka Union High School District2 districts serve Montague; 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 hereSiskiyou County Clerk-ElectionsSiskiyou County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9606496064 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 Montague.
HousingCost of living grade B+
A typical Montague home is worth about $257K
The typical Montague home is worth about $257,000, down 1.4% in a year, 66% below the California typical home.
$257KZillow home value
Typical home value
Montague$257K
California$762K
−1.4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Montague’s schools trail 53% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Montague Elementary school district. Its one school is below.
47%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montague ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 178 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Montague
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtWildfire
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Montague’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Montague for work: only 6% work in town. Montague’s median household income is $60,000, against $95,000 in California’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Yreka (30%), Redding (7%) and Weed (3%).
6%work in town
| Montague | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Montague6%
Yreka30%
Redding7%
Weed3%
Sacramento2%
19 mi
median commute distance
127
jobs based in Montague
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 5% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Montague, expect four seasons and hot summers
Montague has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Montague’s July high is 93°F.
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–49°
Spring37–66°
Summer53–89°
Fall39–70°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Montague stands out in California and nationally, with more of its adults who have been diagnosed with depression
26% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Montague. Montague beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 35% of adults have high blood pressure in Montague.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Montague | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Montague | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.3% | 5.1% |
Fairchild Medical Center
6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyB−
Property crime in Montague is lower than in most of California or the rest of the country
The property crime rate in Montague is 1.7 per 1,000 residents. Montague reports less crime per resident than 52% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
52%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Montague | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Montague1.7
California4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Montague1.7
California18.2
U.S.15.5
52nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Montague
18pages on Montague
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 53% of CA districts · 1 schoolSafetyB−1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$257K typical home · down 1.4% in a yearWork & commuteD−$60K median household income · 127 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 90% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Montague; the nearest are
College of the SiskiyousCommunity college · Public · Weed22.9 mi$1,444 in-state tuitionSouthern Oregon UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Ashland, OR32.8 mi$12,762 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Montague residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Small town
1,157 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Montague
City in California, United States
Montague is a city in Siskiyou County, California, United States. Its population is 1,226 as of the 2020 census, down from 1,443 from the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,539 ft
- ZIP code
- 96064
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Montague
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Montague, CA expensive?
Not for the area. That is 4.3 years of the area's median household income ($59,095 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.