RuthCA
Settled in 1902, this town now has 480 residents.
Is Ruth a good place to live?
Ruth’s midpoint age is 57.5 years, above both the California town median (39 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). 72% of the land in Ruth is conserved, above both the California town median (4.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
480 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Ruth: who provides what
Ruth is unincorporated, so Trinity County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Ruth.
Open space protected for good: nearly a third of Ruth
53 miles of trail. The concentration of trails for Ruth comes to 1.3 miles per square mile.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Ruth stands out in California and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
One declared disaster, in 2020, has brought federal aid to Ruth households. FEMA puts 48% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 38% to wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults in Ruth report frequent physical distress than in the typical California or U.S. town
Nearly a fifth of Ruth adults smoke cigarettes. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Ruth is ahead of California on 4 and behind on 16. Only 3 of the 848 California towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Ruth.
| Ruth | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Ruth | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.6% | 15.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.1% | 71.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 15.2% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Ruth
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ruth; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Ruth residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Ruth
Place in California, United States
Ruth is an unincorporated community in Trinity County, California, United States. Ruth is located in the southern portion of the county. The community and the adjacent Ruth Lake were named after Ruth McKnight, daughter of settlers. It is located near the headwaters of the Mad River and adjacent to the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness. Ruth sits at an elevation of 2,933 feet (894 m). Its population is 254 as of the 2020 census, up from 195 from the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Ruth as a census-designated place (CDP). The ZIP code is 95526. The community is inside area code 707.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 41 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,933 ft
Questions about Ruth
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ruth, CA a good place to live?
Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.