The Town FilesWillows, California
City in Glenn County · population 6,293 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $281,700
- Household income
- $64,068
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 38.6
Willows is a city of 6,293 people in Glenn County, California. The median home is worth $281,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 75% of California towns.
How Willows 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 Willows is worth $281,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $64,068, which is more affordable than 86% of California towns. Median rent is $1,237 a month. 59.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Willows | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,237 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $64,068 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Willows
| People | Willows | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Willows
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 40.0°F. About 21.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 23 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willows since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 26, 2014 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 26, 2014.
Severe weather in Glenn County since 1996
Glenn County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Glenn County
Glenn County had 9,835 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,056 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Willows itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Willows
7 public schools with 1,613 students, about 19.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murdock Elementary | K-5 | 592 | 21.1 |
| Willows High | 9-12 | 428 | 20.4 |
| Willows Intermediate | 6-8 | 316 | 21.1 |
| Walden Academy (charter) | K-8 | 186 | 16.9 |
| Glenn County Special Education | K-12 | 70 | 10.0 |
| Willows Community High | 10-12 | 21 | — |
| Glenn County ROP | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Willows
- Orland, CA16.0 mi · 8,298 people · home $342,200
- Durham, CA23.1 mi · 5,834 people · home $700,100
- Colusa, CA24.0 mi · 6,411 people · home $375,000
- Williams, CA25.4 mi · 5,538 people · home $370,000
- Chico, CA26.4 mi · 101,475 people · home $468,100
- Corning, CA28.6 mi · 8,244 people · home $313,100
- Gridley, CA28.8 mi · 7,421 people · home $312,800
Willows questions
Is Willows, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Willows scores better for retirees than 25% of California towns and quieter than 35%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Willows?
The median owner-occupied home in Willows is valued at $281,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,068, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,237 a month.
What is the weather like in Willows?
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 40.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Willows get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willows since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 26, 2014. 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)