Lakehead, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 577, Lakehead's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Lakehead is a small community located in California, within Shasta County. The total population is 577. It ranks as the 1183rd most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lakehead is 51.2 years. This is 35% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 20.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lakehead is $56,563. This is 43% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.2%. This is 60% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 19.0%. This is 187% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $272,200. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 67.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lakehead is White (non-Hispanic), making up 82.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (82.3% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (12.5%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

23.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lakehead, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.