Population 4,395 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alturas
Household size in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Alturas run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.32, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.2 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.9 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.8 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.7 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.5 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.7, Alturas is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Alturas: 5.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alturas
Renters in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.8% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.6% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Alturas own their homes; 27.6% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. More than half of owners (55.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.3% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 27.1% of the housing in Alturas, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1975 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Alturas was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980).
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $554 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $682 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $772 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $954 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$400 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Alturas costs $954 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 24.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alturas
Bachelor's degrees in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.3% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.6 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Alturas than nationally: 27.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.9% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.8% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Alturas never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Even so, the rate is higher than in California overall (84.2%).
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alturas
| Period | Alturas | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alturas runs well above the national rate: 9.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alturas compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alturas | 2.49 | 50.7 | 5.4% | 27.6% | 27.1% | 1977 | $954 | 27.8% | 86.8% | 9.4% |
| Willow Ranch | 3.46 | 44.4 | 0.4% | 1.1% | 25.6% | 1991 | $1,063 | 30.8% | 84.1% | 7.0% |
| Davis Creek | 3.44 | 44.7 | 0.4% | 1.6% | 26.1% | 1991 | $1,063 | 30.5% | 84.2% | 7.0% |
| Canby | 2.68 | 65.0 | 2.4% | 27.4% | 20.8% | 1985 | $1,063 | 12.9% | 68.3% | 0.1% |
| Likely | 2.20 | 61.8 | 7.0% | 30.7% | 57.2% | 1987 | $1,072 | 12.5% | 90.8% | 6.9% |
| Cedarville | 1.90 | 57.0 | 13.7% | 25.0% | 31.1% | 1948 | $758 | 26.6% | 97.5% | 0.4% |
| Lake City | 2.17 | 60.3 | 7.9% | 20.7% | 34.5% | 1973 | $607 | 19.7% | 91.9% | 1.5% |
| Eagleville | 1.87 | 55.3 | 15.2% | 26.2% | 30.0% | 1941 | $837 | 29.2% | 98.9% | 0.4% |
| Adin | 2.35 | 56.2 | 5.4% | 21.2% | 47.0% | 1980 | $834 | 25.3% | 88.0% | 2.1% |
| Madeline | 2.07 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 27.9% | 55.3% | 1990 | $1,339 | 24.1% | 91.6% | 5.8% |
| Fort Bidwell | 2.01 | 62.3 | 8.9% | 21.8% | 35.6% | 1970 | $551 | 18.3% | 92.9% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Colfax, NC · Goodview, VA · Chandler, IN · Charleston, MO · Glendale, CO · China Spring, TX · Chisholm, MN · Clear Lake, MN · Clifton, TX · Bagdad, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alturas. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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