The Town FilesForest Ranch, California
Community in Butte County · population 1,304 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $445,800
- Household income
- $131,650
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 43.8
Forest Ranch is a community of 1,304 people in Butte County, California. The median home is worth $445,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 95% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of California towns, easier by car than 85% of California towns.
How Forest Ranch ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest Ranch is worth $445,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $131,650, which is more affordable than 96% of California towns. 96.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Ranch | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $445,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | — | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $131,650 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forest Ranch
| People | Forest Ranch | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Forest Ranch
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 35.0°F. About 66.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 63 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Forest Ranch since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, unrated, struck on March 23, 1978 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 23, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on February 22, 2001.
Severe weather in Butte County since 1996
Butte County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5519: Park Fire |
| July 2, 2024 | Fire | FM-5502: Thompson Fire |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Butte County
Butte County had 78,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,521 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Forest Ranch itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Forest Ranch
1 public school with 108 students, about 21.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Ranch Charter (charter) | K-8 | 108 | 21.6 |
Towns near Forest Ranch
- Cohasset, CA4.0 mi · 830 people · home $500,000
- Magalia, CA6.2 mi · 7,795 people · home $280,600
- Paradise, CA10.3 mi · 4,764 people · home $416,000
- Butte Creek Canyon, CA10.6 mi · 780 people · home $695,300
- Chico, CA12.2 mi · 101,475 people · home $468,100
- Butte Valley, CA15.7 mi · 945 people · home $462,100
- Durham, CA19.4 mi · 5,834 people · home $700,100
- Hamilton City, CA20.9 mi · 2,263 people · home $302,800
Forest Ranch questions
Is Forest Ranch, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Ranch scores better for retirees than 71% of California towns and quieter than 80%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Forest Ranch?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Ranch is valued at $445,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $131,650, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Ranch?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 35.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 66.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Forest Ranch get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Forest Ranch since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)