Whiskeytown Shasta Trinity, 2006
Shasta Lake’s story
33 years in pictures
Census counts: 9,008 in 2000, 10,371 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 4 maps from 1944 on.
- 1993Shasta Lake is settled
Photo: Always dreamin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
10,208
2025 Census estimate · −1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$299K
+2.4% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
1,637
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#635 of 841 in CA
Is Shasta Lake a good place to live?
Shasta Lake grades D overall, 635th among California's 841 graded towns. In its favor, it is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Shasta Lake’s July high is 98°F, above both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. The biggest park or preserve is Margaret Polf Park, at 25 acres.
What makes Shasta Lake stand out
Where Shasta Lake beats most towns.
Get outside
47 miles of trails in Shasta Lake
0.7% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
2
Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area - Shasta Unit6 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Shasta Lake grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Shasta Lake is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.3 of 20; 6.5% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income$67K median household incomeCOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →HealthLess healthy than 72% of U.S. towns; Shasta Regional Medical Center 6.3 miles awayCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landB−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life2.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market29 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.8; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Shasta Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Shasta Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of Shasta Lake22.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Shasta Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpUSA Waste of California, Inc. (Waste Management - WM)Trash haulerTown site
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 code9601996019 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 Shasta Lake.
Shasta Lake has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has commutes shorter than most of California and has property taxes about half the California norm.
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 0.7% of Shasta Lake
47 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Shasta Lake’s trail density is 4.4 miles per square mile.
#26for trails in CA
| Shasta Lake | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 4.4 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
0.7%
conserved · 47 of 6,939 acres
47 mi
of trails · 4.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Margaret Polf Park | 0.4 mi | 25 |
| 2. Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area - Shasta Unit | — | 6 |
| 3. Clair Engle Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Shasta Lake’s public schools trail 68% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Gateway Unified school district. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Central Valley High, with 583 students.
32%of CA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shasta LakeLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 602 | B− |
| Central Valley HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 583 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade C
Shasta Lake’s typical home value is about $299K
The median property tax bill is $1,679, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Shasta Lake home is worth about $299,000, up 2.4% in a year, 61% below the California typical home. The median rent in Shasta Lake is $1,298 a month.
$299KZillow home value
| Shasta Lake | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,298 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Shasta Lake$299K
California$762K
Market temperature
29
days on market
99.3%
sale-to-list price
+2.4%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Shasta Lake
Since 2005, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Shasta Lake.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesWildfire
11
paid flood claims since 2005
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
More than half of Shasta Lake’s working residents commute to Redding
The average commute for its 3,858 working residents takes 19.5 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Shasta Lake for work: only 9% work in town. 4% of workers work from home in Shasta Lake. Jobs based in Shasta Lake grew to 1,637 in 2023, 362 more than in 2013.
9%work in town
| Shasta Lake | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 4% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Shasta Lake9%
Redding57%
Anderson3%
Chico2%
Red Bluff1%
7 mi
median commute distance
1,637
jobs based in Shasta Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
Shasta Lake stands out in California and nationally, with more of its adults who have been diagnosed with depression
26% of Shasta Lake adults have been diagnosed with depression. Shasta Lake beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 38% of Shasta Lake adults have high blood pressure.
28%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Shasta Lake | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better15 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Shasta Lake | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.2% | 5.1% |
Shasta Regional Medical Center
6.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
21st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Shasta Lake has mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons average 97.8°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.1°.
Shasta Lake has mild winters and hot summers. Snow is almost unheard of.
98°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–56°
Spring47–72°
Summer63–94°
Fall50–77°
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearby attractions
All 15 attractions →Shasta–Trinity National Forest and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Shasta Lake. Close and well known come first.
30 mi National forestShasta–Trinity National Forest
6 mi MuseumTurtle Bay Exploration Park
40 mi WaterfallMossbrae Falls
7 mi TheatreCascade Theatre
8 mi National Recreation AreaWhiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area764K visitors a year
30 mi MuseumWeaverville Joss House State Historic ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Shasta–Trinity National Forest: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Turtle Bay Exploration Park: DimiTalen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mossbrae Falls: Pinecar at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Cascade Theatre: Publichall, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area: RoyalMayfair, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
-L1007085.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shasta Lake
18pages on Shasta Lake
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Shasta Lake
Shasta CollegeCommunity college · Public · Redding4.8 mi$1,197 in-state tuitionSimpson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Redding5 mi$39,708 tuitionShasta Bible College and Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Redding8.4 mi$14,535 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Shasta Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Shasta Lake for work
Where Shasta Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,637jobs based in Shasta Lake
9%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Shasta Lake
City in California, United States
The city of Shasta Lake, known as Central Valley or CV prior to incorporation, is a city in Shasta County, California, United States. It is the closest settlement to Shasta Dam and Shasta Lake reservoir, which are popular tourist destinations. Its population is 10,371 as of the 2020 census, up from 10,164 from the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1993
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 807 ft
- ZIP code
- 96019, 96079, 96089
- Area code
- 530
Shasta Lake’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Shasta Lake.
ReddingShasta Lake
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shasta Lake | #635 | D | C | — | C | C |
| Redding | #425 | C | D | — | B | B− |
Shasta Lake and Redding report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Shasta Lake with a neighbor →
Questions about Shasta Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shasta Lake, CA a good place to live?
Shasta Lake grades D overall, better than 8% of U.S. towns and #635 of 841 in California. It grades C for health and C for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Shasta Lake, CA expensive?
That is 4.1 years of the area's median household income ($72,636 across the Redding, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.