The Town FilesRed Bluff, California
City in Tehama County · population 14,710 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $299,900
- Household income
- $51,529
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.2
Red Bluff is a city of 14,710 people in Tehama County, California. The median home is worth $299,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 71% of California towns.
How Red Bluff 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 Red Bluff is worth $299,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $51,529, which is more affordable than 61% of California towns. Median rent is $1,121 a month. 42.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Red Bluff | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $299,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,121 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $51,529 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 42.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Red Bluff
| People | Red Bluff | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Red Bluff
July highs average 98.0°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 23.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 104 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Bluff since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 9, 1980 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 4, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on January 23, 2016.
Severe weather in Tehama County since 1996
Tehama County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5519: Park Fire |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 24, 2021 | Fire | DR-4610: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Tehama County
Tehama County had 19,740 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,144 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Red Bluff itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Red Bluff
16 public schools with 4,916 students, about 19.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bluff High | 9-12 | 1,584 | 19.8 |
| Vista Preparatory Academy | 6-8 | 585 | 21.7 |
| William M. Metteer Elementary | K-5 | 477 | 20.7 |
| Antelope Elementary | K-5 | 447 | 20.3 |
| Jackson Heights Elementary | K-5 | 427 | 20.3 |
| Bidwell Elementary | K-5 | 397 | 20.9 |
| Berrendos Middle | 6-8 | 236 | 18.2 |
| Reeds Creek Elementary | K-8 | 190 | 19.0 |
| Salisbury High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 125 | 17.9 |
| Tehama eLearning Academy (charter) | 7-12 | 117 | 29.3 |
| Bend Elementary | K-8 | 97 | 16.2 |
| Lassen-Antelope Volcanic Academy (LAVA) (charter) | 5-8 | 94 | 23.5 |
Towns near Red Bluff
- Lake California, CA12.9 mi · 3,377 people · home $352,800
- Cottonwood, CA15.5 mi · 6,268 people · home $363,000
- Corning, CA17.2 mi · 8,244 people · home $313,100
- Anderson, CA19.3 mi · 11,323 people · home $283,000
- Happy Valley, CA22.3 mi · 4,949 people · home $334,100
- Palo Cedro, CA27.1 mi · 2,931 people · home $551,600
- Redding, CA28.2 mi · 93,611 people · home $382,300
- Orland, CA29.7 mi · 8,298 people · home $342,200
Red Bluff questions
Is Red Bluff, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Red Bluff scores better for retirees than 24% of California towns and quieter than 35%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.2).
How much does a house cost in Red Bluff?
The median owner-occupied home in Red Bluff is valued at $299,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,529, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,121 a month.
What is the weather like in Red Bluff?
July highs average 98.0°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Red Bluff get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Bluff since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 9, 1980. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)