The Town FilesPalermo, California
Community in Butte County · population 5,555 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $283,000
- Household income
- $50,588
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 47.0
Palermo is a community of 5,555 people in Butte County, California. The median home is worth $283,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 81% of California towns, easier by car than 75% of California towns, quieter than 74% of California towns.
How Palermo 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 Palermo is worth $283,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $50,588, which is more affordable than 64% of California towns. Median rent is $1,135 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palermo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $283,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,135 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $50,588 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.9% | — |
Who lives in Palermo
| People | Palermo | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Palermo
July highs average 96.8°F and January lows 39.7°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.6 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 16 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on January 8, 2005 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 8, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 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 Palermo itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in Palermo
3 public schools with 452 students, about 18.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palermo | 6-8 | 444 | 18.5 |
| Palermo Union Community Day (K-8) | K-8 | 8 | 8.0 |
| Palermo Special Education Preschool | Other | — | — |
Towns near Palermo
- South Oroville, CA3.4 mi · 3,235 people · home $261,500
- Oroville East, CA4.8 mi · 8,038 people · home $405,400
- Oroville, CA4.9 mi · 20,042 people · home $311,600
- Thermalito, CA6.8 mi · 7,198 people · home $254,900
- Kelly Ridge, CA7.4 mi · 3,006 people · home $277,600
- Gridley, CA10.4 mi · 7,421 people · home $312,800
- Live Oak, CA12.9 mi · 9,106 people · home $350,700
- Marysville, CA19.6 mi · 12,844 people · home $292,300
Palermo questions
Is Palermo, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palermo scores better for retirees than 58% of California towns and quieter than 74%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Palermo?
The median owner-occupied home in Palermo is valued at $283,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,588, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,135 a month.
What is the weather like in Palermo?
July highs average 96.8°F and January lows 39.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 15.6 inches of snow.
Does Palermo get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Palermo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on January 8, 2005. 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)