1st Advantage MortgageThe median Tehama County household earns $63,784, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Tehama County
- Jobs and commutes in Tehama County
- What Tehama County households earn
- What it costs to live in Tehama County
- The communities that make up Tehama County
- Tehama County and the counties next door
- What a median Tehama County budget can carry
- Tehama County households compared
- Local borrowing considerations for Tehama County
- Lender oversight for Tehama County
- Checklist for Tehama County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Tehama County
Roughly 65,167 residents live in Tehama County, California, 42nd by population among the state's 58 counties and county equivalents. It covers 2,949 square miles of land, or about 22 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Tehama County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 18 places in the county (3 incorporated, 15 census-designated); the largest is Red Bluff, with about 14,549 residents, or 22% of the county.
Jobs and commutes in Tehama County
The biggest employer of Tehama County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (13%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 9% locally and 2% for California. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.9% in Tehama County. Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 6.1% of the total (7.1% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Tehama County workers | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.7% | +1.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +2.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.2% | -0.3 pts |
| Public administration | 9.1% | +4.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.0% | +6.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.7% | -0.1 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What Tehama County households earn
The median household income in Tehama County is $63,784; statewide it is $99,122, so Tehama County runs 36% below California as a whole. In the state ranking that is 51st of 58.
| Band | Tehama County | Compared with California |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 26.0% | +8.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.1% | +11.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.8% | -6.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.1% | -13.4 pts |
About 26% of households earn under $35,000, while 30% clear $100,000. 15.6% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.0%). A household earning below the $63,784 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
What it costs to live in Tehama County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,184 in Tehama County versus $2,036 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 56% of renter households here. With a median value of $339,600, a typical Tehama County house costs 5.3 times what the median household earns in a year. 67% of Tehama County households own their home and 33% rent.
| Tehama County | California | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,184/mo | $2,036/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $339,600 | $734,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 56% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 56% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 38% | 38% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 7% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
The communities that make up Tehama County
18 Census places fall mainly inside Tehama County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 33,330 residents, leaving about 49% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $120,000 at the median in Manton, $35,000 in Los Molinos. None of the 18 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Bluff | city | 14,549 | $51,529 | $1,121 | 3 mi |
| Corning | city | 8,155 | $56,627 | $961 | 14 mi |
| Lake California | CDP | 3,808 | $92,051 | $1,606 | 16 mi |
| Los Molinos | CDP | 1,604 | $35,000 | $1,113 | 10 mi |
| Rancho Tehama Reserve | CDP | 978 | $53,606 | $937 | 13 mi |
| Gerber | CDP | 885 | $35,353 | $1,375 | 6 mi |
| Proberta | CDP | 865 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
| Manton | CDP | 629 | $120,000 | n/a | 29 mi |
| Bend | CDP | 593 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
| Tehama | city | 366 | $70,893 | $988 | 9 mi |
| Vina | CDP | 243 | $40,811 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Richfield | CDP | 194 | n/a | $1,222 | 11 mi |
| Mineral | CDP | 133 | n/a | n/a | 41 mi |
| Flournoy | CDP | 92 | $86,705 | n/a | 18 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Tehama County and the counties next door
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Tehama County's, from 37 to 75 miles away. 5 of the six report a higher median household income than Tehama County; Colusa County is highest at $75,672 and Trinity County lowest at $53,002.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehama County | - | $63,784 | $1,184/mo | 67% |
| Glenn County, CA | 37 mi | $67,139 | $1,120/mo | 61% |
| Shasta County, CA | 45 mi | $72,636 | $1,317/mo | 66% |
| Butte County, CA | 46 mi | $67,928 | $1,414/mo | 57% |
| Trinity County, CA | 59 mi | $53,002 | $1,073/mo | 72% |
| Colusa County, CA | 66 mi | $75,672 | $1,157/mo | 62% |
| Plumas County, CA | 75 mi | $66,031 | $1,194/mo | 75% |
What a median Tehama County budget can carry
How much room does a median Tehama County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Tehama County: $5,315
- Housing at the median rent of $1,184 uses 22%
- $730: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,102 a month
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Tehama County households compared
College graduates make up 19% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 6.6%, against 6.6% for California.
| Tehama County | California | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 37.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.3% | 37.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.8% | 15.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 6.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 17.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 12.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 6.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 38.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.7% |
| 60+ min | 5.6% |
Local borrowing considerations for Tehama County
Based on the Tehama County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Manufactured homes. 17% of Tehama County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Tight rental budgets. With 56% of Tehama County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Lender oversight for Tehama County
Consumer lenders serving Tehama County are licensed by the state, not the county; in California that is the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on California: California personal loans.
Checklist for Tehama County applicants
Steps that save money for Tehama County residents:
- Price the Tehama County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in California.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the California guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tehama County a high-income county?
Its $63,784 median ranks 51st of 58 California counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Tehama County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,184 against $2,036 statewide, and 56% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Tehama County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Red Bluff, Corning, Lake California, Los Molinos, Rancho Tehama Reserve and 13 more.
Will a Tehama County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming California as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Tehama County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In California it is the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.