The Town FilesMount Shasta, California
City in Siskiyou County · population 3,223 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $330,200
- Household income
- $47,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 89 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 51.2
Mount Shasta is a city of 3,223 people in Siskiyou County, California. The median home is worth $330,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of California towns, hipper than 94% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of California towns.
- #4 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- #10 in The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #10 in The 50 Best Places to Retire in America With the Fewest Tornadoes
- #20 in The 25 Quietest Small Towns in California
- #21 in The 25 Best Vacation-Home Small Towns in California
- #21 in The 25 Hippest Small Towns in California
How Mount Shasta 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 Mount Shasta is worth $330,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.9 times the median household income of $47,917, which is more affordable than 42% of California towns. Median rent is $1,406 a month. 52.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Shasta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $330,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,406 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $47,917 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 52.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.7% | — |
Who lives in Mount Shasta
| People | Mount Shasta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 17.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Mount Shasta
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 27.2°F. About 42.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 89.3 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Mount Shasta since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 22, 2018.
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 Mount Shasta itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Mount Shasta
4 public schools with 1,169 students, about 17.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Eagle Charter (charter) | K-12 | 401 | 14.9 |
| Sisson | 4-8 | 298 | 22.9 |
| Mount Shasta High | 9-12 | 262 | 16.4 |
| Mt. Shasta Elementary | K-3 | 208 | 18.9 |
Towns near Mount Shasta
- Weed, CA7.2 mi · 2,862 people · home $259,600
Mount Shasta questions
Is Mount Shasta, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Shasta scores better for retirees than 98% of California towns and quieter than 89%. 33.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).
How much does a house cost in Mount Shasta?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Shasta is valued at $330,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,917, so homes cost about 6.9 times income. Median rent is $1,406 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Shasta?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 27.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.6 inches of precipitation a year and 89.3 inches of snow.
Does Mount Shasta get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Mount Shasta 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)