The Town FilesAlturas, California
City in Modoc County · population 2,715 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,100
- Household income
- $59,896
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 45.3
Alturas is a city of 2,715 people in Modoc County, California. The median home is worth $170,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 83% of California towns, easier by car than 83% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of California towns.
How Alturas ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alturas is worth $170,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $59,896, which is more affordable than 98% of California towns. Median rent is $833 a month. 67.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alturas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $833 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $59,896 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.3% | — |
Who lives in Alturas
| People | Alturas | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 15.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Alturas
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 11.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.9 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 204 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Alturas since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 23, 1958.
Severe weather in Modoc County since 1996
Modoc County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| May 1, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4431: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Modoc County
Modoc County had 2,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,973 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Alturas itself the ACS puts it at 11.9%.
Public schools in Alturas
7 public schools with 810 students, about 18.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alturas Elementary | K-5 | 357 | 19.8 |
| Modoc High | 9-12 | 237 | 15.8 |
| Modoc Middle | 6-8 | 202 | 20.2 |
| Warner High | 9-12 | 10 | — |
| High Desert Community Day | 6-10 | 4 | — |
| Modoc County ROP | 9-12 | — | — |
| Modoc County Special Education | K-12 | — | — |
Alturas questions
Is Alturas, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alturas scores better for retirees than 83% of California towns and quieter than 68%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Alturas?
The median owner-occupied home in Alturas is valued at $170,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,896, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $833 a month.
What is the weather like in Alturas?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.7 inches of precipitation a year and 50.9 inches of snow.
Does Alturas get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Alturas in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)