House on Skyway in Stirling City (2024)-L1005987, 2024
Stirling City’s story
123 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1953 and 3 maps from 1953 on.
- 1903Stirling City is settled
Stirling CityCA
This town of 344 people was settled in 1903.
Photo: Public domain · Public domain
Population
344
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$265K
Census ACS
Median age
57.1
years
Jobs based here
6
A commuter town
Is Stirling City a good place to live?
86% of households live in a home they own in Stirling City, against 64% in California’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns. Stirling City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
344 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Stirling City: who provides what
Stirling City is unincorporated, so Butte County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDel Oro Water Co.-Stirling BluffsNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
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 codes95954, 9597895954 52% · 95978 48%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 Stirling City.
Natural hazards
Top of a very high hazard risk in Stirling City: wildfire
64% of Stirling City’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 24%. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 92% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Stirling City households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2023.
92risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingEarthquakes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Stirling City’s workers commute out
Half commute less than 27 miles. The top destinations are Chico (29%), Paradise (13%) and San Jose (4%). Stirling City: 11% of residents live below the poverty line.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Stirling City0%
Chico29%
Paradise13%
San Jose4%
Redding4%
27 mi
median commute distance
6
jobs based in Stirling City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2024 · ACS
Climate
In Stirling City, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 34° and snow is almost unheard of.
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–51°
Spring40–63°
Summer56–86°
Fall46–70°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, more of Stirling City’s adults have high blood pressure
Against the California average, Stirling City comes out ahead on 3 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 17. The share of adults in Stirling City who have diabetes is 16%.
| Stirling City | Typical California town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 31% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. California
3 better12 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Stirling City | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 66.4% | 57.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.2% | 5.1% |
Enloe Health
20 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Lassen Volcanic National Park and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Stirling City. Close and well known come first.
31 mi National ParkLassen Volcanic National Park505K visitors a year
25 mi DamOroville Dam
16 mi Park & preserveBidwell Park
18 mi MuseumChico Air Museum
20 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 Stirling City
15pages on Stirling City
The big questions
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Stirling City; the nearest are
Cal Northern School of LawUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Chico18.4 miButte CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oroville18.5 mi$1,356 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-ChicoUniversity or college · Public · Chico20.3 mi$8,472 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Stirling City residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Stirling City for work
Where Stirling City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6jobs based in Stirling City
0%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2024
About Stirling City
Unincorporated community in California, United States
Stirling City is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, United States, located on Paradise Ridge in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Contrary to its name, Stirling City is not a city. Its ZIP Code is 95978 and the CDP is served by area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 3570 feet (1088 m). Stirling City had a population of 284 at the 2020 census. Stirling City is located at 39°54′28″N 121°31′41″W, approximately 32 miles (45 km) northeast of Chico. It is built around a loop (which terminates a winding spur line) of the Southern Pacific Railroad, built to collect lumber from the Lassen National Forest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,570 ft
- ZIP code
- 95978
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Stirling City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Stirling City, CA a good place to live?
Stirling City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.