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Shasta County, California
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, California
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
Area
 • Total 3,847 sq mi (9,960 km2)
 • Land 3,775 sq mi (9,780 km2)
 • Water 72 sq mi (190 km2)
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)
Website www.co.shasta.ca.us

Shasta County, officially the County of Shasta, is a county 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. Parts of the county's territory were given to Siskiyou County in 1852, and to Tehama County in 1856.

The county was named after Mount Shasta; the name "Shasta" is derived from the English equivalent for the name of an Indian tribe that once lived in the area. The name of the tribe was spelled in various ways until the present version was used when the county was established. Originally Mt. Shasta was within the county, but it is now part of Siskiyou County, to the north. Its 14,179-foot (4,322 m) peak is visible throughout most of Shasta County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,847 square miles (9,960 km2), of which 3,775 square miles (9,780 km2) is land and 72 square miles (190 km2) (1.9%) is 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 were not explored in a scientific manner until just before the year 1900. Up until the 1920s the Southern Pacific Railroad Company owned vast tracts of natural grasslands; however, 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.

National protected areas

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.

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.

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. Hispanic or Latino 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%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900–1990
1990-2000 2010-2015

As of the census of 2000, there were 163,256 people, 63,426 households, and 44,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17/km2). There were 68,810 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.3% White, 0.8% Black or 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. 5.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 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.

There were 63,426 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 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 non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 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 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,335, and the median income 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)
  • Big Bike Weekend (October)
  • Fall River Valley Lights of Christmas Parade (December)

Points of interest

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

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Shasta County.

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 Redding City 89,861
2 Shasta Lake City 10,164
3 Anderson City 9,932
4 Cottonwood CDP 3,316
5 Burney CDP 3,154
6 Bella Vista CDP 2,781
7 Shingletown CDP 2,283
8 Shasta CDP 1,771
9 Palo Cedro CDP 1,269
10 Mountain Gate CDP 943
11 Millville CDP 727
12 Fall River Mills CDP 573
13 Lakehead CDP 461
14 Keswick CDP 451
15 French Gulch CDP 346
16 McArthur CDP 338
17 Hat Creek CDP 309
18 Cassel CDP 207
19 Montgomery Creek CDP 163
20 Round Mountain CDP 155
21 Big Bend CDP 102
22 Old Station CDP 51
23 Redding Rancheria AIAN 34
24 Roaring Creek Rancheria AIAN 14
25 Montgomery Creek Rancheria AIAN 12
26 Big Bend Rancheria AIAN 9

Education

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

See also

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

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