Census-designated place · California
Magalia, California
Magalia, census-designated place, in Butte County, California. Magalia had 7,389 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,013). GEOID 0645120.
Residents, 2020-2024
7,389
±1,013 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,795
Median household income
$56,920
±$8,430 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$280,600
±$32,180 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,478
±$201 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Magalia and what county is it in?
Magalia is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Butte County, California. It covers 14.0 square miles of land, 556 residents per square mile in 2020.
Magalia is in the Chico, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Magalia, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Magalia's population at 7,389 (±1,013). The 2020 Census counted 7,795 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Magalia is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Magalia | Butte County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,389 ±1,013 | 207,929 | −4,087 |
| Households | 2,999 ±321 | 83,312 | −1,634 |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.22 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,404 ±366 | 92,813 | −1,941 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Magalia?
The median resident of Magalia is 47.8 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 22.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.0%. 4.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Magalia | Butte County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.8 ±3.2 | 36.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.0% ±4.2 pts | 20.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.9% ±4.2 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Male | 48.6% ±3.5 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.0% ±6.0 pts | 20.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.1% ±7.7 pts | 65.1% | −9.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.2% ±3.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±3.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.4% ±2.2 pts | 8.6% | +2.8 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.4% ±3.6 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.7% ±2.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 25.1% ±5.6 pts | 16.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.4% ±3.6 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.3% ±4.5 pts | 31.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.1% ±1.4 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.2% ±3.3 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Magalia earn?
Half of Magalia's 2,999 households earn less than $56,920 a year (±$8,430), against $67,928 in Butte County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $62,045 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Magalia | Butte County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,920 ±$8,430 | $67,928 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,180 ±$13,609 | $95,414 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,503 ±$4,625 | $38,305 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.8% ±3.5 pts | 19.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.2% ±8.0 pts | 21.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.1% ±4.4 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.9% ±1.5 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.4% ±3.2 pts | 91.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Magalia?
Owners occupy 83.2% of Magalia's occupied homes and renters 16.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $280,600 by its owner (±$32,180). The median renter pays $1,478 a month including utilities, and 56.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Magalia | Butte County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $280,600 ±$32,180 | $424,700 | +$67,813 |
| Median gross rent | $1,478 ±$201 | $1,414 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.1% ±19.9 pts | 52.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,076 ±$287 | $2,187 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.2% ±5.1 pts | 57.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.8% ±5.1 pts | 42.7% | – |
| Housing units | 3,404 ±366 | 92,813 | −1,941 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±2.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.6% ±6.9 pts | 60.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 37.5% ±6.8 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0% ±1.9 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.5% ±2.4 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.4% ±1.0 pts | 6.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Magalia work and get to work?
71.9% of Magalia's workers drive alone and 16.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.3%.
| Measure | Magalia | Butte County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.0% ±5.5 pts | 59.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 10.3% ±4.9 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.9% ±8.9 pts | 71.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.5% ±5.7 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.7% ±8.4 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.3 min ±4.7 | 21.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Magalia?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Magalia, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $52,779 (Tract 17.02) to $63,306 (Tract 17.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 17.02Butte County | 3,700 | $52,779 |
| Tract 17.03Butte County | 1,547 | $63,306 |
| Tract 17.04Butte County | 3,024 | $75,000 |
| Tract 18Butte County | 1,448 | $93,088 |
| Tract 19Butte County | 919 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Magalia) · Census block assignment files
How does Magalia compare with other places in California?
Magalia ranks 913th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 563rd | 1,076 |
| Residents per square mile | 859th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 913th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 716th | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 933rd | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 717th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 391st | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 752nd | 988 |
| Median age | 213th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 202nd | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 392nd | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 119th | 1,069 |
Magalia's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Magalia with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Magalia?
15 of the 57 figures for Magalia on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Magalia are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.