The Town FilesHappy Camp, California
Community in Siskiyou County · population 905 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,400
- Household income
- $41,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 94°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 57.6
Happy Camp is a community of 905 people in Siskiyou County, California. The median home is worth $166,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 96% of California towns, better for retirees than 91% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of California towns.
How Happy Camp 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 Happy Camp is worth $166,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $41,375, which is more affordable than 91% of California towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 63.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Happy Camp | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $775 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $41,375 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in Happy Camp
| People | Happy Camp | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 22.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 12.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Happy Camp
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 32.5°F. About 61.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Happy Camp since 1950.
Severe weather in Siskiyou County since 1996
Siskiyou County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 2, 2022 | Fire | FM-5450: Mill Fire |
| June 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5393: Lava Fire |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Siskiyou County
Siskiyou County had 14,205 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,720 a year. Unemployment was 6.4% in 2023; in Happy Camp itself the ACS puts it at 24%.
Public schools in Happy Camp
2 public schools with 171 students, about 19.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Camp Union Elementary | K-8 | 115 | 19.2 |
| Happy Camp High | 9-12 | 56 | 18.7 |
Towns near Happy Camp
- Cave Junction, OR27.6 mi · 2,071 people · home $292,900
- Williams, OR28.4 mi · 1,102 people · home $592,000
- Kerby, OR29.5 mi · 628 people · home $241,000
Happy Camp questions
Is Happy Camp, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Happy Camp scores better for retirees than 91% of California towns and quieter than 96%. 35.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.6).
How much does a house cost in Happy Camp?
The median owner-occupied home in Happy Camp is valued at $166,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,375, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Happy Camp?
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 32.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.2 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Happy Camp get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Happy Camp in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)