Church and Mt Lassen, 2007
Palo Cedro’s story
133 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,247 in 2000, 2,931 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 3 maps from 1901 on.
- 1893Palo Cedro is settled
Palo CedroCA
Population 3,685: a town settled in 1893.
Population
3,685
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$551K
−1.4% in a year
Household income
$120K
median
Median age
41.6
years
Jobs based here
791
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#225 of 841 in CA
Is Palo Cedro a good place to live?
Strong in places, weak in others. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $550K, 7.6 years of the Redding metro’s $73K median household income. It also trails on hazard risk (D): FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 91% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Where it does best is health (A): it is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns. Overall, that makes a B−, good for 225th of 841 in California. That leaves it better than 47% of U.S. towns. Palo Cedro’s typical July afternoon high is 99°F, above both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Its other grades sit near the middle: B for incomes and C+ for walkability.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · NOAA normals, 1991–2020.
What makes Palo Cedro stand out
Where Palo Cedro beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Palo Cedro has grown 131% from 2010 to 2020
1,269 counted in 2010 and 2,931 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Palo Cedro grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Palo Cedro is from typical.
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →HealthShasta Regional Medical Center 7.2 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsAbove the middle of the towns comparedA−Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC−Open →HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Palo Cedro: who provides what
Palo Cedro is unincorporated, so Shasta County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBella Vista Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesShasta CountyShasta County provides services here
SchoolsShasta Union High School DistrictJunction Elementary School DistrictNorth Cow Creek Elementary School District3 districts serve Palo Cedro; 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 codes96073, 9600396073 95% · 96003 5%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 Palo Cedro.
Palo Cedro has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has home values still below their peak and owes part of its health edge to its incomes.
HealthA
Palo Cedro earns an A for health
Against the 5,731 U.S. towns with household incomes like Palo Cedro’s, it is healthier than 69%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
For adults in Palo Cedro, the share who report frequent mental distress is 15%. Of 32 CDC measures, Palo Cedro beats the California average on 15 and trails it on 5. 26% of adults locally have obesity; 7.9% worry about having enough food.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 29% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 7.9% | 16% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. California
15 better12 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Palo Cedro | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.9% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.7% | 6.4% |
Shasta Regional Medical Center
7.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
78th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA−
Palo Cedro’s schools rank ahead of 77% of California districts
The Shasta Union High school district runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Foothill High, with 1,487 students. Of its 4 schools, three are listed below, each with the reason.
77%of CA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junction ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 416 | A− |
| Foothill HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,487 | A− |
| Chrysalis CharterTop results in townGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 226 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Top of a very high hazard risk in Palo Cedro: inland flooding
Expected losses in Palo Cedro break down as 51% from inland flooding and 31% from wildfires. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2018.
91risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than California overall
Among residents in Palo Cedro, 22% are 65 or older. Adults 18 to 34 are just over one in ten residents (24% statewide); children under 18 are 31% of residents (22% statewide). A bachelor’s degree or higher: 41% of adults 25 and older, vs 37% across California.
41.6median age · CA 37.9
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 16% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.6 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
Palo CedroCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school15%
Some college27%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Palo Cedro | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.9% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.7% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.5% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.2% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.7% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.5% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 15.2% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 27% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.7% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.5% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,700, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade D
A typical Palo Cedro home is worth about $551K
The typical value, about $551K, is 8% below its July 2022 peak. At about $551K, home values are down 2% in five years, against a rise of 13% across California.
In Palo Cedro, just over nine in ten households live in a home they own. The town’s median rent stands at $1,375 a month. Values fell 1.4% in the year to September 2026.
$551KZillow home value
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,375 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Palo Cedro$551K
California$762K
−1.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Palo Cedro
July afternoons average 98.7°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.8°.
The January low in Palo Cedro is 39°F. Snowfall is close to zero. Snow is almost unheard of.
99°summer high
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 99°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 39°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–57°
Spring48–73°
Summer64–95°
Fall52–78°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 3
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
99°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About half of Palo Cedro’s working residents commute to Redding
Jobs based here grew from 594 in 2013 to 791.
For Palo Cedro, the middle household income is $120,000. Just 7% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. Jobs in Palo Cedro grew by 197 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 791. The share of residents in Palo Cedro who live below the poverty line: 6.6%.
7%work in town
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $120,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Palo Cedro7%
Redding50%
Anderson3%
Chico2%
Shasta Lake2%
8 mi
median commute distance
791
jobs based in Palo Cedro
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 42% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
#580for trails in CA
| Palo Cedro | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.4% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
0.4%
conserved · 19 of 5,277 acres
3.2 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 16 attractions →Lassen Volcanic National Park and 9 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Palo Cedro. Close and well known come first.
35 mi National ParkLassen Volcanic National Park505K visitors a year
40 mi MountainLassen Peak
38 mi National forestShasta–Trinity National Forest
7 mi MuseumTurtle Bay Exploration Park
7 mi TheatreCascade Theatre
13 mi National Recreation AreaWhiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area764K visitors a yearSources: 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 · Lassen Peak: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Shasta–Trinity National Forest: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Turtle Bay Exploration Park: DimiTalen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cascade Theatre: Publichall, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area: RoyalMayfair, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Palo Cedro
17pages on Palo Cedro
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Palo Cedro
Shasta Bible College and Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Redding3.4 mi$14,535 tuitionSimpson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Redding5.3 mi$39,708 tuitionShasta CollegeCommunity college · Public · Redding5.3 mi$1,197 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Palo Cedro residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Palo Cedro
Place in California, United States
Palo Cedro (Spanish for "Cedar Wood") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Shasta County, California, United States. It is 8 miles (13 km) east of Redding. Its population is 2,931 as of the 2020 census, up from 1,269 from the 2010 census. Originally, indigenous Native Americans lived in Northern California, including what is now Shasta County, prior to European American settlement. European American exploration of inland California started in 1769 and continued on into the 19th century. Cow Creek, a Sacramento River tributary that runs south through Palo Cedro, was a conduit for entrance into the Sacramento Valley by Hudson Bay Fur Company trappers including Alexander McLeod (1829) and Joh…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 469 ft
- ZIP code
- 96073
Palo Cedro’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Palo Cedro.
Bella VistaMillvillePalo Cedro
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Cedro | #225 | B− | D | — | A− | A |
| Bella Vista | #531 | C− | D | — | B+ | B |
| Millville | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Palo Cedro and Bella Vista report no FBI crime data of their own. Millville isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Palo Cedro with a neighbor →
Questions about Palo Cedro
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Palo Cedro, CA a good place to live?
Palo Cedro grades B− overall, better than 47% of U.S. towns and #225 of 841 in California. It grades A for health and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Palo Cedro, 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 D.