The Town FilesWilliams, California
City in Colusa County · population 5,538 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $370,000
- Household income
- $90,761
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 30.4
Williams is a city of 5,538 people in Colusa County, California. The median home is worth $370,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 100% of California towns.
How Williams 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 Williams is worth $370,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $90,761, which is more affordable than 90% of California towns. Median rent is $1,184 a month. 53.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williams | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $370,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,184 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $90,761 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 53.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Williams
| People | Williams | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 35.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Williams
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 17.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 17 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williams since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on February 19, 2013 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 19, 2013.
Severe weather in Colusa County since 1996
Colusa County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| May 17, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4434: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Colusa County
Colusa County had 9,354 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,337 a year. Unemployment was 13% in 2023; in Williams itself the ACS puts it at 17.2%.
Public schools in Williams
6 public schools with 1,407 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Junior/Senior High | 7-12 | 626 | 22.4 |
| Williams Primary Elementary | K-3 | 435 | 20.7 |
| Williams Upper Elementary | 4-6 | 290 | 24.2 |
| S. William Abel Academy | 7-12 | 23 | 23.0 |
| Mid Valley High (Continuation) | 10-12 | 19 | — |
| Coastal Buttes Academy | K-12 | 14 | 14.0 |
Towns near Williams
- Colusa, CA7.8 mi · 6,411 people · home $375,000
- Arbuckle, CA10.3 mi · 3,484 people · home $394,100
- Sutter, CA20.9 mi · 2,997 people · home $408,500
- Willows, CA25.4 mi · 6,293 people · home $281,700
- Yuba City, CA26.7 mi · 70,117 people · home $434,600
- Live Oak, CA27.0 mi · 9,106 people · home $350,700
- Gridley, CA27.8 mi · 7,421 people · home $312,800
- Clearlake Oaks, CA29.2 mi · 2,551 people · home $250,900
Williams questions
Is Williams, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williams scores better for retirees than 39% of California towns and quieter than 55%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.4).
How much does a house cost in Williams?
The median owner-occupied home in Williams is valued at $370,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,761, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,184 a month.
What is the weather like in Williams?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Williams get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williams since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on February 19, 2013. 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)