Modoc County, California Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Modoc County, California has a population of 8,600, the 56th most populous county in California. The median household income is $59,455 and the median home value is $224,700. The poverty rate is 17.9%.

Modoc County Quick Facts

Population 8,600

Median Household Income $59,45590% MOE ±$6,095

Median Home Value $224,70090% MOE ±$19,423

Poverty Rate 17.9%90% MOE ±5.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 7.6%90% MOE ±3.4 pts

Median Age 47.5 years90% MOE ±0.5 years

Homeownership Rate 77.4%90% MOE ±4.2 pts

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 24.8%90% MOE ±4.2 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 86.7%

Cities/Places 12

Population 8,600 56th of 58

Median Income $59,455 40% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.9%

Unemployment 7.6%

How Modoc County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	8,907	8,600	-3.4%
Median household income	$56,006	$59,455	No clear change (+6.2%)
Median home value¹	$173,038	$224,700	+29.9%
Median gross rent	$882	$836	No clear change (-5.3%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Modoc

$59,455

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Modoc

$224,700

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.1%

$25K-$50K 23.2%

$50K-$100K 33.1%

$100K+ 24.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

2.1%

$15K-$20K

4.0%

$20K-$25K

7.2%

$25K-$30K

2.4%

$30K-$35K

2.6%

$35K-$40K

7.0%

$40K-$45K

6.0%

$45K-$50K

5.3%

$50K-$60K

7.9%

$60K-$75K

13.8%

$75K-$100K

11.3%

$100K-$125K

10.8%

$125K-$150K

4.3%

$150K-$200K

4.4%

$200K+

5.1%

Employment

7.6% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%

47.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.4%

Renter 22.6%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $836/mo 16.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.1%

18-34

17.9%

35-54

18.4%

55-74

32.1%

75+

12.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Modoc County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Alturas	2,681	$59,896	18.0%	$170,100
Cedarville	575	$52,105	14.9%	$246,400
Newell	472	$36,620	9.8%	N/A
California Pines	427	$66,328	22.5%	$292,900
Canby	259	N/A	92.1%	N/A
Fort Bidwell	190	N/A	17.3%	$168,100
Adin	153	$29,375	4.6%	$117,300
Daphnedale Park	106	N/A	0.0%	N/A
New Pine Creek	84	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Lookout	49	$140,568	0.0%	N/A
Lake City	39	N/A	0.0%	$232,700
Eagleville	33	$81,250	0.0%	$88,500

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Modoc County is located in California with a total population of 8,600. It is the 56th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Modoc County is 47.5 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 12.6% 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 Modoc County is $59,455. This is 40% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.9%. This is 49% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 7.6%. This is 15% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $224,700. Housing costs are 69% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 77.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Modoc County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 74.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 15.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (74.8% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (15.7%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

24.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 86.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Modoc County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Modoc County, California?

Modoc County has a population of 8,600, making it the 56th most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Modoc County?

The median household income in Modoc County is $59,455 with a poverty rate of 17.9%.

How many cities are in Modoc County, California?

Modoc County contains 12 Census-designated places.