Colusa County, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Colusa County, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 74% of counties in California
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C
Income Below average
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F
Education Well below averageLeast educated county in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,984 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 19.0 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.36% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 7,512 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Colusa County grew by 4.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,984 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Colusa County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.6% of residents. That is 0.9 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,974 22.6% +0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,589 20.9% -2.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,895 17.7% -2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,402 15.5% +0.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 48.1% of the people living in Colusa County and men 51.9%.
- Women 48.1% California 49.9%
- Men 51.9% California 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Colusa County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Colusa County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,609 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.07% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.8% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Colusa County is about 24% lower than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $195,643 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,157 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Colusa County is about 14.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,157 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Colusa County spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 155 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.6 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.2 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 155 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,803 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,206 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 319 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
California:
Inyo County (11.1 min), Mono County (12.0 min), Del Norte County (12.1 min).
Slowest:
Alpine County (31.3 min), San Benito County (31.2 min), Contra Costa County (31.0 min).
The average commute time in Colusa County is 19 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Colusa County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.89 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
California:
Marin County (0.5), San Francisco County (0.4), Santa Clara County (0.4).
Lowest:
Colusa County (0.2), Merced County (0.2), Glenn County (0.2).
Health
Colusa County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Colusa County | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.2 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 19.1% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.0% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
California:
San Francisco County (0.8), San Mateo County (0.8), Santa Clara County (0.8).
Lowest:
Lake County (0.8), Imperial County (0.8), Tulare County (0.8).
Colusa County, CA Compared With Nearby Counties
Colusa County, CA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 21,984 residents against a local median of 98,856. Colusa County, CA's median home price, at $195,643, runs 54% below the $425,283 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $546,998 on median home price, so Colusa County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Colusa County, CA has the 6th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colusa County, CA | 21,984 | $75,609 #4/6 | $195,643 #6/6 | 18.6 min #1/6 |
| Glenn County, CA | 28,492 | $66,909 | $376,190 | 18.8 min |
| Lake County, CA | 68,148 | $60,936 | $355,339 | 23.9 min |
| Sutter County, CA | 98,856 | $79,619 | $440,110 | 20.8 min |
| Yolo County, CA | 220,537 | $91,115 | $425,283 | 20.1 min |
| Napa County, CA | 134,769 | $112,778 | $902,338 | 20.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Colusa County, California.
What is the population of Colusa County, California?
About 21,984 people live in Colusa County, California, in 7,512 households of 2.9 people on average. The median age is 36.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Colusa County, California?
Averaged over its land area, Colusa County, California has 19 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 22% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Colusa County, California an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($195,643 against $75,609), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,157 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Colusa County, California?
Unemployment in Colusa County, California is 9.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Colusa County, California have a college degree?
13.0% of adults in Colusa County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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