RANK #534 / 1001 NAT · #22 / 43 CA · POP 65,167
1YR FORECAST: -0.5%
5YR OUTLOOK: +17%
Tehama County, located in Northern California, is bisected by the Sacramento River and known for its "western" feel and agricultural heritage. Red Bluff, the county seat, hosts the annual Red Bluff Round-Up rodeo, a significant local event. The county is about 135 miles north of Sacramento, with a typical commute time of around 23 minutes. Residents enjoy extensive outdoor recreation, including fishing and kayaking on the Sacramento River, which is a major salmon spawning river. Black Butte Lake offers opportunities for boating, swimming, and hiking, while parts of Lassen Volcanic National Park provide volcanic landscapes and trails.
Life in Tehama County is characterized by a strong sense of community and a lower cost of living compared to the California average, attracting families, retirees, and remote workers. The economy is largely driven by agriculture, with significant production of almonds, walnuts, and olives, alongside ranching and timber. The agribusiness sector provides local jobs through processing and packing. Additionally, the county sees economic activity in manufacturing, including wood products, and a growing healthcare sector. Public schools in the county are rated as above average.
Tehama County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +3.3% YoY, population -0.5%, wages +5.2%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 18.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Tehama County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Mandorla Solar Project
Undisclosed
|
$103M | Planned |
|
Tehama County Broadband Network
Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA)
|
$75M | Proposed |
|
Tehama County Microgrid Project
Undisclosed
|
$50M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Tehama County scores 46/100 on the Boom Town Index, landing in the middle of the pack among 1001 U.S. counties (#534). Median household income is $63,784 and job growth is running at -0.4%. The data points to a county with mixed signals — some positive indicators alongside areas that lag faster-growing peers.
Tehama County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $339,600 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.19 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,184/month on average.
Tehama County is losing population (-0.5% YoY) while the job market is essentially flat (-0.4% employment change). Home values are +3.3% over the past 12 months. A slow-bleed pattern — not a collapse, but residents are leaving faster than employers are hiring.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.69% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Tehama County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.