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Shasta County
County of Shasta
Shasta Dam Colored.jpg
Lassen-Peak-Large.jpg
Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay.jpg
Images, from top down: Shasta Dam at the southern end of Shasta Lake, Lassen Peak, Sundial Bridge
Official seal of Shasta County
Seal
Location in the state of California
Location in the state of California
Country United States
State California
Region Sacramento Valley/Cascade Range
Incorporated 1850
Named for Mount Shasta, which was named after the Shasta people
County seat Redding
Largest city Redding
Government
 • Type Council–CEO
Area
 • Total 3,847 sq mi (9,960 km2)
 • Land 3,775 sq mi (9,780 km2)
 • Water 72 sq mi (190 km2)
Highest elevation
10,457 ft (3,187 m)
Population
 • Total 182,155
 • Density 47.350/sq mi (18.2819/km2)
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Congressional district 1st
Website www.shastacounty.gov

Shasta County (Listeni/ˈʃæstə/), officially the County of Shasta, is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 182,155 as of the 2020 census, up from 177,223 from the 2010 census. The county seat is Redding.

Shasta County comprises the Redding, California metropolitan statistical area. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range.

Points of interest in Shasta County include Shasta Lake, Lassen Peak, and the Sundial Bridge.

History

Shasta County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. The county was named after Mount Shasta; the name is derived from the English equivalent for the Shasta people. Their population declined in the 1850s due to disease, low birth rates, starvation, killings, and massacres, as White settlers moved in. The name of the tribe was spelled in various ways until the present version was used when the county was established. The 14,179-foot (4,322 m) peak of Mt. Shasta is visible throughout most of Shasta County. Originally within the county, it is now part of Siskiyou County, to the north. Parts of the county's territory were transferred to Siskiyou County in 1852, and to Tehama County in 1856.

In 1992, the Fountain Fire burned more than 63,000 acres (25,000 ha) and destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures, including large parts of Round Mountain and Montgomery Creek. More than 7,000 people were forced to evacuate. Estimated losses totaled $105.6 million (equivalent to about $185.6 million in 2021).

The Fountain Wind project, proposed by energy firm ConnectGEN LLC, includes up to 71 wind turbines, 679 feet (207 m) tall, with the capacity to generate 216 megawatts of electricity. In 2021, the Shasta County Planning Commission voted unanimously to reject the project's use permit, followed by an appeal to the Shasta County Board of Supervisors that similarly resulted in a 4–1 vote to deny the appeal. Wildfire risks and firefighting challenges, among other issues, were given as a primary reason for the rejection of the project. In early 2023, ConnectGen resubmitted its application to the California Energy Commission under Assembly Bill 205 which established a new certification program for non-fossil-fuel powered plants of 50 megawatts or more and related facilities.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,847 square miles (9,960 km2), of which 72 square miles (190 km2) (1.9%) are covered by water. Mountains line the county on the east, north, and west. The Sacramento River flows out of the mountains to the north, through the center of the county, and toward the Sacramento Valley to the south.

Flora and fauna

According to Willis Linn Jepson, the biota of Shasta County was not explored in a scientific manner until just before 1900. Until the 1920s, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company owned vast tracts of natural grasslands, but during the 1920s, the railroad sold off much of its grassland holdings, leading to the rapid clearing of brush and large-scale conversion from habitat to agricultural uses. Shasta County has extensive forests, which cover over one half the land area with commercially productive forest systems. Common forest alliances include mixed-oak woodland and mixed conifer-oak woodland, as well as Douglas fir forest. Common trees found include white-bark pine, California black oak, and California buckeye.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

  • Shasta-Trinity National Forest (part)
  • Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (part)

Demographics

2011

Places by population, race, and income

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Shasta County had a population of 177,223. The racial makeup of Shasta County was 153,726 (86.7%) White, 1,548 (0.9%) African American, 4,950 (2.8%) Native American, 4,391 (2.5%) Asian, 271 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 4,501 (2.5%) from other races, and 7,836 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 14,878 persons (8.4%).

2000

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 378
1860 4,360 1,053.4%
1870 4,173 −4.3%
1880 9,492 127.5%
1890 12,133 27.8%
1900 17,318 42.7%
1910 18,920 9.3%
1920 13,361 −29.4%
1930 13,927 4.2%
1940 28,800 106.8%
1950 36,413 26.4%
1960 59,468 63.3%
1970 77,640 30.6%
1980 115,715 49.0%
1990 147,036 27.1%
2000 163,256 11.0%
2010 177,223 8.6%
2020 182,155 2.8%
2023 (est.) 180,366 1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2015

As of the census of 2000, 163,256 people, 63,426 households, and 44,017 families were residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17 people/km2). The 68,810 housing units had an average density of 18 units per square mile (6.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.3% White, 0.8% African American, 2.8% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. About 5.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. About 15.7% were of German, 12.3% English, 11.2% Irish, 9.9% American, and 5.2% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000; 94.0% spoke English and 3.3% Spanish as their first language.

Of the 63,426 households, 31.7% had children under 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were not families. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52, and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, theage distribution was 26.1% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,335, and for a family was $40,491. Males had a median income of $35,959 versus $24,773 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,738. About 11.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Annual events

  • Kool April Nites (April): A classic car show
  • Rodeo Week Festivities (May)
  • Art Fair and Fiddler's Jamboree (May)
  • Whiskeytown Regatta (May)
  • Watershed Festival (May)
  • Strawberry Festival (May)
  • Shasta Dragonwood Celtic Faire (May)
  • Redding Exchange Club Air Show (June)
  • Shasta District Fair (June)
  • Fall River Valley Century Bike Ride (July)
  • Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration (July)
  • Burney Basin Days (July)
  • Fall River Valley Wild Rice Festival (Aug)
  • Intermountain Fair, Fall River Valley (September) The Shasta County Fair
  • Stillwater Pow Wow (September)
  • Walk To End Alzheimer's (September)
  • Big Bike Weekend (October)
  • Fall River Valley Lights of Christmas Parade (December)
  • Palo Cedro Honey Bee Festival (September)

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) provides service in and around Redding. One route operates to Burney via State Route 299.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight serves Redding Station once a day in each direction.

Amtrak Thruway provides twice daily service from Redding to/from Stockton or Sacramento for connections to the San Joaquins, which serve the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles area via rail and bus connections.

Airports

Redding Municipal Airport has scheduled passenger flights. Other (general aviation) airports within the county include Benton Field (near Redding), Fall River Mills Airport, and Shingletown Airport.

Law enforcement

The Shasta County sheriff provides prison administration and coroner services for the entire county, and patrol, investigative, and coroner services for the unincorporated portions of the county.

Redding and Anderson have municipal police departments.

Education

School districts include:

Unified:

  • Fall River Joint Unified School District
  • Gateway Unified School District

Secondary:

  • Anderson Union High School District
  • Dunsmuir Joint Union High School District
  • Red Bluff Joint Union High School District
  • Shasta Union High School District

Elementary:

  • Antelope Elementary School District
  • Bella Vista Elementary School District
  • Black Butte Union Elementary School District
  • Cascade Union Elementary School District
  • Castle Rock Union Elementary School District
  • Columbia Elementary School District
  • Cottonwood Union Elementary School District
  • Enterprise Elementary School District
  • French Gulch-Whiskeytown Elementary School District
  • Grant Elementary School District
  • Happy Valley Union Elementary School District
  • Igo, Ono, Platina Union Elementary School District
  • Indian Springs Elementary School District
  • Junction Elementary School District
  • Millville Elementary School District
  • Mountain Union Elementary School District
  • North Cow Creek Elementary School District
  • Oak Run Elementary School District
  • Pacheco Union Elementary School District
  • Redding Elementary School District
  • Shasta Union Elementary School District
  • Whitmore Union Elementary School District

High schools and below

  • 43 elementary schools
  • 10 junior high schools
  • 8 high schools
  • 35 private schools

Colleges and universities

Shasta County has four colleges and universities:

  • Shasta College, Redding: 2-year, fully accredited
  • Simpson University, Redding: 4-year, fully accredited
  • National University, Redding: 4-year, fully accredited
  • Shasta Bible College: 4-year

Points of interest

Shasta Lake Campground
Bailey Cove Campground near Lake Shasta within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Shasta County. county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2020 Census)
1 Redding City 93,611
2 Anderson City 11,323
3 Shasta Lake City 10,371
4 Cottonwood CDP 6,268
5 Happy Valley CDP 4,949
6 Bella Vista CDP 3,641
7 Burney CDP 3,000
8 Palo Cedro CDP 2,931
9 Shingletown CDP 2,442
10 Jones Valley CDP 1,160
11 Shasta CDP 1,043
12 Mountain Gate CDP 815
13 Millville CDP 724
14 Johnson Park CDP 686
15 Fall River Mills CDP 616
16 Lakehead CDP 469
17 French Gulch CDP 373
18 McArthur CDP 334
19 Whitmore CDP 311
20 Hat Creek CDP 266
21 Castella CDP 214
22 Cassel CDP 207
23 Keswick CDP 188
24 Montgomery Creek CDP 176
25 Round Mountain CDP 160
26 Oak Run CDP 158
27 Igo CDP 103
28 Ono CDP 93
29 Big Bend CDP 79
30 Old Station CDP 64
31 Redding Rancheria AIAN 40
32 Montgomery Creek Rancheria AIAN 33
33 Roaring Creek Rancheria AIAN 19
34 Platina CDP 13
33 Big Bend Rancheria AIAN 5

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Shasta para niños

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