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Living in
Redding.
About
Life in Redding
At nearly 94,000 people, Redding is the economic and cultural hub of Northern California's Shasta Cascade region—think county seat with real substance, not a small town. The cost of living here is genuinely reasonable compared to the rest of California: median rent runs around $1,379 a month and homes sit near $382,000, making homeownership actually achievable for middle-income families. What keeps locals here, though, isn't just affordability—it's the lifestyle trade-off they're willing to make.
Redding at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.1%
Foreign-Born
5.3%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Redding: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Redding, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (24.7%), and 4.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.1%
of households
Married Couples
41.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.46
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 32% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Redding
In Redding, rent runs 32% below the CA average, and home values are 48% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,673
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
54.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $385,253 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Redding
Unemployment in Redding is 0.4 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Redding Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.7 min avg
How Redding residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Redding, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Redding Municipal Airport (RDD)
Regional airport · few flights87k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 123% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Redding runs 123% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
735.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,663.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Redding Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Shasta County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Shasta County, which includes Redding, the most common type is heavy snow, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Heavy Snow | $7.0M |
| 2024 | 40 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 31 | Heavy Snow | $60,000 |
| 2022 | 31 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 50 | Drought | $1,000 |
| 2020 | 31 | Wildfire | $52,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | Flood | $104,500 |
| 2018 | 25 | Wildfire | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
99 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Shasta County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Shasta County, which includes Redding, is typically good — 276 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
276
per year
Moderate Days
88
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Shasta County, county-wide
Climate97°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Redding has hot summers (avg high 97°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
97°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"
Hot Days/Year
106
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
27
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
59
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 38°F | 6.04" |
| Feb | 61°F | 40°F | 5.48" |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 4.62" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 2.41" |
| May | 82°F | 54°F | 1.81" |
| Jun | 92°F | 62°F | 0.75" |
| Jul | 100°F | 67°F | 0.07" |
| Aug | 98°F | 64°F | 0.13" |
| Sep | 92°F | 58°F | 0.45" |
| Oct | 79°F | 50°F | 1.92" |
| Nov | 64°F | 42°F | 3.53" |
| Dec | 56°F | 37°F | 6.31" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Redding
Redding has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
6.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Mercy Medical Center Redding
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Shasta Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Patients' Hospital of Redding
Acute Care Hospitals
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Redding
Redding's student/teacher ratio is 20.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
38
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Redding
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 809 students · in-state tuition $40,880 · 64% graduate · median earnings $62,250 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Redding
Redding has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
13 mi awayLassen Volcanic National Park
National Park
51 mi awayLava Beds National Monument
National Monument
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Redding
Redding Library
1100 Parkview Avenue, Redding
Shasta County Public Law Library
1500 Court St. Room B-7, Redding
Cities Near Redding
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Redding?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Redding FAQ
Is Redding, California affordable?⌄
Redding's median rent is $1,379/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $70,466/year. Median home value is $382,300.
Is Redding, California safe?⌄
Redding's violent crime rate was 735 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1663 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Redding, California?⌄
Redding has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Redding, California?⌄
The cost of living in Redding is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,379/month and median household income is $70,466/year. The median home value is $382,300. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Redding, California?⌄
The average commute in Redding is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from