Shasta Lake and Redding receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Shasta Lake | Redding | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,311 | 93,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,401 | $70,466 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,465 | $38,911 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 946/sq mi | 1,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,400 | $382,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,298 | $1,379 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 26.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 14.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 94 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.3% | -60.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 100°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.5" | 33.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 120 mi | 127 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.46 | 20.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.4% | 59.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Shasta Lake
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Redding
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Shasta Lake, CA · Redding, CA · How this is calculated: methodology