Butte_County,_California
Butte County (/ˈbjuːt/ ⓘ) is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632.[6][7] The county seat is Oroville.[8]
Butte County, California | |
|---|---|
| County of Butte | |
Butte County in 2005, with a view of the Sutter Buttes in the background | |
|
| |
| Nickname(s): "The Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty" | |
Interactive map of Butte County | |
Location in the state of California | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Incorporated | February 18, 1850[1] |
| Named for | The nearby Sutter Buttes |
| County seat | Oroville |
| Largest city | Chico |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–CAO |
| • Chair[2] | Bill Connelly |
| • Vice Chair[3] | Tod Kimmelshue |
| • Board of Supervisors[4] | Supervisors
|
| • Chief Administrative Officer | Andy Pickett |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,677 sq mi (4,340 km2) |
| • Land | 1,636 sq mi (4,240 km2) |
| • Water | 41 sq mi (110 km2) |
| Highest elevation | 7,124 ft (2,171 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 211,632 |
| • Density | 130/sq mi (49/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| Area code | 530 |
| FIPS code | 06-007 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1675842 |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Butte County comprises the Chico, CA metropolitan statistical area. It is in the California Central Valley, north of the state capital of Sacramento.
Butte County is drained by the Feather River and the Sacramento River. Butte Creek and Big Chico Creek are additional perennial streams, both tributary to the Sacramento. The county is home to California State University, Chico and Butte College.
Butte County is named for the Sutter Buttes in neighboring Sutter County; butte means "small knoll" or "small hill" in French.[9] Butte County was incorporated as one of California's 27 original counties on February 18, 1850. The county went across the present limits of the Tehama, Plumas, Colusa, and Sutter Counties.[10]
Between November 8 and 25, 2018, a major wildfire, the Camp Fire, destroyed most of the town of Paradise, the adjacent community of Concow, and a large area of rural, hilly country east of Chico. More than 80 people were killed, 50,000 were displaced, over 150,000 acres were burned, and nearly 20,000 buildings were destroyed.[11][12] The Camp Fire was California's most destructive and deadliest fire.[13]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,677 square miles (4,340 km2), of which 41 square miles (110 km2) (2.4%) are covered by water.[6]
The county is drained by the Feather River and Butte Creek. Part of the county's western border is formed by the Sacramento River. The county lies along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the steep slopes making it prime territory for the siting of hydroelectric power plants. About a half dozen of these plants are located in the county, one of which, serves the Oroville Dam.
National protected areas
- Butte Sink National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Lassen National Forest (part)
- Plumas National Forest (part)
- Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Adjacent counties
- Sutter County, California – south
- Colusa County, California – southwest
- Glenn County, California – west
- Tehama County, California – northwest
- Plumas County, California – northeast
- Yuba County, California – southeast
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3,574 | — | |
| 1860 | 12,106 | 238.7% | |
| 1870 | 11,403 | −5.8% | |
| 1880 | 18,721 | 64.2% | |
| 1890 | 17,939 | −4.2% | |
| 1900 | 17,117 | −4.6% | |
| 1910 | 27,301 | 59.5% | |
| 1920 | 30,030 | 10.0% | |
| 1930 | 34,093 | 13.5% | |
| 1940 | 42,840 | 25.7% | |
| 1950 | 64,930 | 51.6% | |
| 1960 | 82,030 | 26.3% | |
| 1970 | 101,969 | 24.3% | |
| 1980 | 143,851 | 41.1% | |
| 1990 | 182,120 | 26.6% | |
| 2000 | 203,171 | 11.6% | |
| 2010 | 220,000 | 8.3% | |
| 2020 | 211,632 | −3.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 207,172 | [14] | −2.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17] 1990–2000[18] 2010[19] 2020[20] | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 165,416 | 139,651 | 75.19% | 65.99% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,133 | 3,320 | 1.42% | 1.57% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 3,395 | 3,050 | 1.54% | 1.44% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 8,921 | 10,333 | 4.06% | 4.88% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 401 | 508 | 0.18% | 0.24% |
| Some other race alone (NH) | 318 | 1,184 | 0.14% | 0.56% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 7,300 | 13,474 | 3.32% | 6.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 31,116 | 40,112 | 14.14% | 18.95% |
| Total | 220,000 | 211,632 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
2011
| Population, ethnicity, and income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population[21] | 220,000 | ||||
| White[21] | 165,416 | 75.2% | |||
| Black or African American[21] | 3,353 | 1.5% | |||
| American Indian or Alaska Native[21] | 3,395 | 1.5% | |||
| Asian[21] | 9,000 | 4.2% | |||
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander[21] | 400 | 0.2% | |||
| Some other race[21] | 8,000 | 3.4% | |||
| Two or more races[21] | 12,329 | 5.6% | |||
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[22] | 31,116 | 14.1% | |||
| Per capita income[23] | $23,431 | ||||
| Median household income[24] | $42,971 | ||||
| Median family income[25] | $54,175 | ||||
Places by population, race, and income
| Places by population and race | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Type[26] | Population[21] | White[21] | Other[21] [note 1] |
Asian[21] | Black or African American[21] |
Native American[21] [note 2] |
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[22] |
| Bangor | CDP | 416 | 88.5% | 5.0% | 2.2% | 0.0% | 4.3% | 0.0% |
| Berry Creek | CDP | 1,305 | 85.9% | 11.7% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 4.1% |
| Biggs | City | 1,707 | 74.2% | 19.8% | 3.3% | 0.6% | 2.1% | 35.6% |
| Butte Creek Canyon | CDP | 924 | 96.6% | 2.4% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 3.6% |
| Butte Meadows | CDP | 21 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Butte Valley | CDP | 954 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10.5% |
| Cherokee | CDP | 105 | 86.7% | 0.0% | 13.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Chico | City | 86,187 | 80.0% | 6.3% | 4.2% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 15.5% |
| Clipper Mills | CDP | 91 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cohasset | CDP | 955 | 98.4% | 1.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 3.0% |
| Concow | CDP | 581 | 78.0% | 12.4% | 2.4% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 1.0% |
| Durham | CDP | 5,800 | 91.8% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 0.2% | 1.5% | 11.6% |
| Forbestown | CDP | 291 | 72.9% | 24.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.4% | 10.0% |
| Forest Ranch | CDP | 1,294 | 93.9% | 6.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Gridley | City | 6,600 | 79.8% | 18.8% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 50.5% |
| Honcut | CDP | 745 | 54.6% | 43.9% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 0.0% | 52.5% |
| Kelly Ridge | CDP | 2,246 | 99.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Magalia | CDP | 11,188 | 90.5% | 5.7% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 1.8% | 9.2% |
| Nord | CDP | 196 | 89.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 20.4% |
| Oroville | City | 16,000 | 71.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% | 3.3% | 1.4% | 11.3% |
| Oroville East | CDP | 9,663 | 82.1% | 9.7% | 2.4% | 1.2% | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Palermo | CDP | 4,775 | 77.0% | 19.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 23.2% |
| Paradise | Town | 26,348 | 91.0% | 6.0% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 7.7% |
| Rackerby | CDP | 254 | 96.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.5% |
| Richvale | CDP | 155 | 83.9% | 16.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 16.1% |
| Robinson Mill | CDP | 136 | 84.6% | 15.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.4% |
| South Oroville | CDP | 5,982 | 63.9% | 7.8% | 17.3% | 8.3% | 2.7% | 15.2% |
| Stirling City | CDP | 271 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Thermalito | CDP | 6,295 | 80.2% | 5.9% | 10.8% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 12.7% |
| Yankee Hill | CDP | 240 | 88.8% | 11.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.5% |
| Places by population and income | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Type[26] | Population[27] | Per capita income[23] | Median household income[24] | Median family income[25] |
| Bangor | CDP | 416 | $18,172 | $45,625 | $47,917 |
| Berry Creek | CDP | 1,305 | $22,277 | $36,164 | $51,607 |
| Biggs | City | 1,927 | $17,159 | $44,485 | $50,714 |
| Butte Creek Canyon | [CDP | 924 | $37,677 | $58,750 | $76,786 |
| Butte Meadows | CDP | 21 | [28] | [28] | [28] |
| Butte Valley | CDP | 954 | $28,426 | $69,659 | $77,500 |
| Cherokee | CDP | 105 | $20,351 | $80,714 | $80,714 |
| Chico | City | 85,605 | $23,611 | $41,632 | $56,268 |
| Clipper Mills | CDP | 91 | [28] | [28] | [28] |
| Cohasset | CDP | 955 | $21,628 | $55,175 | $55,425 |
| Concow | CDP | 581 | $26,821 | $24,792 | $53,750 |
| Durham | CDP | 5,829 | $34,886 | $64,720 | $75,357 |
| Forbestown | CDP | 291 | $19,434 | $58,167 | $82,750 |
| Forest Ranch | CDP | 1,294 | $51,819 | $46,901 | $47,057 |
| Gridley | City | 6,509 | $15,525 | $36,563 | $41,474 |
| Honcut | CDP | 745 | $8,071 | $48,144 | $48,277 |
| Kelly Ridge | CDP | 2,246 | $33,366 | $49,444 | $60,205 |
| Magalia | CDP | 11,188 | $19,400 | $37,182 | $42,277 |
| Nord | CDP | 196 | $19,182 | $69,063 | $69,063 |
| Oroville | City | 15,445 | $18,750 | $35,678 | $45,430 |
| Oroville East | CDP | 9,663 | $24,503 | $53,167 | $65,142 |
| Palermo | CDP | 4,775 | $19,783 | $42,292 | $46,458 |
| Paradise | Town | 26,348 | $25,132 | $42,363 | $54,267 |
| Rackerby | CDP | 254 | $17,387 | $46,141 | $46,184 |
| Richvale | CDP | 155 | $45,061 | $87,150 | $87,150 |
| Robinson Mill | CDP | 136 | $21,793 | $54,762 | $54,762 |
| South Oroville | CDP | 5,982 | $11,666 | $32,205 | $38,750 |
| Stirling City | CDP | 271 | $14,811 | $82,969 | [28] |
| Thermalito | CDP | 6,295 | $16,301 | $37,738 | $38,053 |
| Yankee Hill | CDP | 240 | $21,149 | $22,054 | $44,286 |
2010 Census
The 2010 United States Census reported that Butte County had a population of 220,000. The racial makeup of Butte County was 180,096 (81.9%) White, 3,415 (1.6%) African American, 4,395 (2.0%) Native American, 9,057 (4.1%) Asian, 452 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 12,141 (5.5%) from other races, and 10,444 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 31,116 persons (14.1%).[29]
| Population reported at 2010 United States Census | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The County | Total Population | White | two or more races | ||||||
| Butte County | 220,000 | 180,096 | 3,415 | 4,395 | 9,057 | 452 | 12,141 | 10,444 | 31,116 |
Total Population | two or more races | ||||||||
| Biggs | 1,707 | 1,302 | 11 | 54 | 9 | 1 | 252 | 78 | 580 |
| Chico | 86,187 | 69,606 | 1,771 | 1,167 | 3,656 | 210 | 5,437 | 4,340 | 15,000 |
| Gridley | 6,584 | 4,283 | 55 | 98 | 249 | 3 | 1,552 | 344 | 3,000 |
| Oroville | 15,546 | 11,686 | 453 | 573 | 1,238 | 56 | 554 | 986 | 1,945 |
| Paradise | 26,218 | 24,129 | 112 | 301 | 330 | 24 | 416 | 906 | 1,836 |
Total Population | two or more races | ||||||||
| Bangor | 646 | 543 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 58 | 47 |
| Berry Creek | 1,424 | 1,249 | 8 | 48 | 13 | 3 | 13 | 90 | 98 |
| Butte Creek Canyon | 1,086 | 1,011 | 0 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 28 | 48 |
| Butte Meadows | 40 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Butte Valley | 899 | 782 | 0 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 42 | 46 | 89 |
| Cherokee | 69 | 48 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Clipper Mills | 142 | 131 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Cohasset | 847 | 764 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 38 | 43 |
| Concow | 710 | 611 | 0 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 57 | 56 |
| Durham | 5,518 | 5,088 | 19 | 55 | 35 | 9 | 165 | 147 | 614 |
| Forbestown | 320 | 262 | 4 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 23 |
| Forest Ranch | 1,184 | 1,116 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 29 | 52 |
| Honcut | 370 | 248 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 85 | 13 | 145 |
| Kelly Ridge | 2,544 | 2,287 | 20 | 56 | 35 | 7 | 43 | 96 | 204 |
| Magalia | 11,310 | 10,398 | 40 | 141 | 90 | 17 | 134 | 490 | 765 |
| Nord | 320 | 233 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 48 | 16 | 122 |
| Oroville East | 8,280 | 6,830 | 126 | 477 | 294 | 8 | 147 | 398 | 702 |
| Palermo | 5,382 | 3,901 | 39 | 221 | 246 | 4 | 642 | 329 | 1,281 |
| Rackerby | 204 | 193 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 18 |
| Richvale | 244 | 216 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
| Robinson Mill | 80 | 74 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| South Oroville | 5,742 | 3,407 | 406 | 245 | 885 | 9 | 361 | 429 | 851 |
| Stirling City | 295 | 264 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 17 |
| Thermalito | 6,646 | 4,594 | 61 | 257 | 1,102 | 37 | 270 | 325 | 713 |
| Yankee Hill | 333 | 305 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 22 |
Other unincorporated areas | Total Population | two or more races | |||||||
| All others not CDPs (combined) | 29,123 | 24,497 | 259 | 531 | 791 | 55 | 1,879 | 1,111 | 4,486 |
2000
As of the census[30] of 2000, there were 203,171 people, 79,566 households, and 49,410 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile (48 people/km2). There were 85,523 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% White, 10.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% Asian, 1.9% Native American, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.8% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. 87.9% spoke English, 7.8% Spanish and 1.4% Hmong as their first language.
There were 79,566 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 13.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,924, and the median income for a family was $41,010. Males had a median income of $34,137 versus $25,393 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,517. About 12.2% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
There are four major hospitals and the State of California defines Butte County as being inside Health Service Area 1. A special district, the Butte County Air Quality Management District, regulates airborne pollutant emissions in the county. It does this following regional regulations, state, and federal laws. For example, in recent years, the agency changed rules that once allowed residents to burn household trash outdoors.
The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.
| Population and crime rates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Population[21] | 220,000 | |
| Violent crime[31] | 970 | 4.25 |
| Homicide[31] | 20 | 0.05 |
| Forcible rape[31] | 100 | 0.40 |
| Robbery[31] | 200 | 0.85 |
| Aggravated assault[31] | 650 | 2.95 |
| Property crime[31] | 5,524 | 16.32 |
| Burglary[31] | 1,733 | 7.90 |
| Larceny-theft[31][note 3] | 3,765 | 17.17 |
| Motor vehicle theft[31] | 840 | 3.83 |
| Arson[31] | 81 | 0.37 |
Cities by population and crime rates
| Cities by population and crime rates | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population[32] | Violent crimes[32] | Violent crime rate per 1,000 persons |
Property crimes[32] | Property crime rate per 1,000 persons | |||
| Biggs | 1,707 | 24 | 11.02 | 30 | 19.72 | |||
| Chico | 90,000 | 317 | 3.24 | 3,634 | 26.31 | |||
| Gridley | 6,600 | 113 | 11.72 | 196 | 33.06 | |||
| Oroville | 16,000 | 108 | 6.81 | 1,143 | 63.09 | |||
| Paradise | 26,492 | 52 | 2.49 | 521 | 18.08 | |||
Law enforcement
| Butte County Sheriff's Office | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | BCSO |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Oroville, California |
| Sheriff responsible |
|
| Facilities | |
| Jails | 1 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Butte County Sheriff's Office provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Butte County, serving as the equivalent of the county police for unincorporated areas of the county as well as incorporated cities within the county who have contracted with the agency for law-enforcement services (known as "contract cities" in local jargon). It also holds primary jurisdiction over facilities operated by Butte County, such as local parks, marinas and government buildings; provides marshal service for the Superior Court of Butte County; operates the county jail system; and provides services such as laboratories and academy training to smaller law enforcement agencies within the county. The first sheriff of Butte County was Joseph Q. Wilbur. Kory Honea has been the sheriff since 2014.[33]
Voter registration statistics
| Population and registered voters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total eligible population[34] | 164,755 | |
| Registered voters[34][note 4] | 123,935 | 75.2% |
| Democratic[34] | 43,407 | 26.3% |
| Republican[34] | 44,362 | 26.9% |
| Democratic–Republican spread[34] | -955 | -0.6% |
| American Independent[34] | 5,920 | 3.5% |
| Libertarian[34] | 2,037 | 1.2% |
| Green[34] | 759 | 0.4% |
| Peace and Freedom[34] | 633 | 0.3% |
| Unknown[34] | 896 | 0.5% |
| Other[34] | 1,051 | 0.6% |
| No party preference[34] | 24,870 | 15.0% |
Cities by population and voter registration
| Cities by population and voter registration | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Population[21] | Registered voters[35] [note 4] |
Democratic[35] | Republican[35] | D–R spread[35] | Other[35] | No party preference[35] |
| Biggs | 1,927 | 38.7% | 36.7% | 37.9% | -1.2% | 8.8% | 19.8% |
| Chico | 85,605 | 55.0% | 40.1% | 30.3% | +9.8% | 9.8% | 22.7% |
| Gridley | 6,509 | 40.6% | 37.6% | 34.8% | +2.8% | 9.7% | 21.3% |
| Oroville | 15,445 | 40.8% | 32.1% | 36.2% | -4.1% | 11.7% | 24.2% |
| Paradise | 26,348 | 62.1% | 31.1% | 40.8% | -9.7% | 11.5% | 20.5% |
Local
The citizens of the county of Butte are represented by the five member Butte County Board of Supervisors.
Tribal
The Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians of California is headquartered in Oroville. The Berry Creek Rancheria operates Gold Country Casino.
The Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California is also headquartered in Oroville. The Mooretown Rancheria operates Feather Falls Casino.
The governmental headquarters of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria is located in Chico.
State
Butte County is split between the 1st and 3rd Assembly districts, represented by Republican Megan Dahle and Republican James Gallagher, respectively.[36] The county is in the 4th Senate District, represented by Democrat Marie Alvarado-Gil.[37]
According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Butte County has 172,054 registered voters. Of those, 42,093 (34.4%) are registered Democrats, 41,330 (33.8%) are registered Republicans and 30,377 (24.8%) have declined to state a political party.[38]
On November 4, 2008, Butte County voted 56.7% for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.[39]
Federal
Butte County is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.[40]
Butte is a bellwether county in presidential elections, and one of only thirteen to have voted for Obama in 2008, Romney in 2012, Trump in 2016, and Biden in 2020.[lower-alpha 1]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 48,819 | 47.60% | 50,815 | 49.54% | 2,931 | 2.86% |
| 2016 | 45,144 | 46.54% | 41,567 | 42.85% | 10,291 | 10.61% |
| 2012 | 44,479 | 48.87% | 42,669 | 46.88% | 3,873 | 4.26% |
| 2008 | 46,706 | 47.32% | 49,013 | 49.66% | 2,988 | 3.03% |
| 2004 | 51,662 | 53.73% | 42,448 | 44.14% | 2,047 | 2.13% |
| 2000 | 45,584 | 54.45% | 31,338 | 37.43% | 6,799 | 8.12% |
| 1996 | 38,961 | 48.98% | 30,651 | 38.53% | 9,938 | 12.49% |
| 1992 | 31,608 | 37.18% | 32,489 | 38.22% | 20,917 | 24.60% |
| 1988 | 40,143 | 56.04% | 30,406 | 42.45% | 1,082 | 1.51% |
| 1984 | 45,381 | 63.06% | 25,421 | 35.32% | 1,162 | 1.61% |
| 1980 | 38,188 | 57.85% | 19,520 | 29.57% | 8,304 | 12.58% |
| 1976 | 28,400 | 51.77% | 24,203 | 44.12% | 2,251 | 4.10% |
| 1972 | 28,819 | 57.61% | 18,401 | 36.78% | 2,808 | 5.61% |
| 1968 | 22,225 | 56.68% | 12,887 | 32.87% | 4,099 | 10.45% |
| 1964 | 19,574 | 48.43% | 20,831 | 51.54% | 14 | 0.03% |
| 1960 | 20,838 | 57.60% | 15,163 | 41.92% | 174 | 0.48% |
| 1956 | 18,382 | 58.43% | 12,933 | 41.11% | 147 | 0.47% |
| 1952 | 19,248 | 63.27% | 10,913 | 35.87% | 263 | 0.86% |
| 1948 | 10,948 | 49.36% | 10,133 | 45.68% | 1,100 | 4.96% |
| 1944 | 7,852 | 46.83% | 8,811 | 52.55% | 105 | 0.63% |
| 1940 | 7,433 | 40.46% | 10,684 | 58.15% | 255 | 1.39% |
| 1936 | 5,103 | 32.04% | 10,490 | 65.86% | 335 | 2.10% |
| 1932 | 4,322 | 29.14% | 9,645 | 65.03% | 865 | 5.83% |
| 1928 | 6,306 | 60.45% | 3,946 | 37.83% | 180 | 1.73% |
| 1924 | 4,382 | 42.25% | 1,299 | 12.52% | 4,691 | 45.23% |
| 1920 | 5,409 | 65.69% | 2,262 | 27.47% | 563 | 6.84% |
| 1916 | 3,956 | 40.91% | 4,888 | 50.55% | 825 | 8.53% |
| 1912 | 10 | 0.11% | 4,028 | 45.66% | 4,784 | 54.23% |
| 1908 | 3,094 | 52.74% | 2,146 | 36.58% | 626 | 10.67% |
| 1904 | 2,799 | 58.84% | 1,574 | 33.09% | 384 | 8.07% |
| 1900 | 2,322 | 52.55% | 2,011 | 45.51% | 86 | 1.95% |
| 1896 | 2,075 | 48.31% | 2,120 | 49.36% | 100 | 2.33% |
| 1892 | 2,180 | 46.73% | 2,141 | 45.89% | 344 | 7.37% |
| 1888 | 2,191 | 48.25% | 2,215 | 48.78% | 135 | 2.97% |
| 1884 | 2,172 | 49.06% | 2,118 | 47.84% | 137 | 3.09% |
| 1880 | 1,814 | 49.75% | 1,832 | 50.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
Public schools
There are roughly 90 public schools in the county according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. The schools are operated by the County Office of Education and 15 school districts, which are:
- Bangor Union Elementary School District
- Biggs Unified School District
- Chico Unified School District
- Durham Unified School District
- Feather Falls Union Elementary School District
- Golden Feather Union Elementary School District
- Gridley Unified School District
- Manzanita Elementary School District
- Oroville City Elementary School District
- Oroville Union High School District
- Palermo Union School District
- Paradise Unified School District
- Pioneer Union Elementary School District
- Thermalito Union School District
Colleges and universities
Public libraries
Butte County Library provides library services to residents of the County through six branches in Biggs, Chico, Durham, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise. The mission of the Butte County Library is to provide all individuals, regardless of age, ethnic background, educational or economic level, with free access to ideas, information, and technology.
For many years, the library served rural and mountain communities through regularly scheduled bookmobile visits; however, due to budget cuts, this service was discontinued in 2009 and the bookmobile was sold. The library serves low-literacy adults through several programs of the Butte County Library Literacy Services division, including the Adult Reading Program, Families for Literacy and the Literacy Coach, a 36-foot (11 m) vehicle that provides mobile programming like story times, parent meetings, workshops, and computer and teacher trainings.
The library operates as a department of the County of Butte, governed by the Butte County Board of Supervisors.
Major highways
Public transportation
Butte Regional Transit or the B-Line, provides service in and between Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Gridley and Biggs. Chico is also a connection point for Glenn Ride buses to Glenn County and Plumas Transit Systems buses to Plumas County.
Greyhound and FlixBus buses stop in Chico.
Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Los Angeles-Seattle) passenger train makes a stop daily in each direction in Chico's Chico station.
Airports
General Aviation airports in Butte County include:
Cities
Towns
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
Former townships
In August 1851, the county was divided into six judicial (civil) townships, the four marked by asterisks below, plus Quartz and Mineral, which were separated from Butte County with the formation of Plumas County in 1854.
Between 1851 and 1861, there were several additions and other realignments of the township boundaries; from 1861, the townships were:
- Bidwell
- Chico
- Concow
- Hamilton*
- Kimshew
- Mountain Spring
- Ophir*
- Oregon*
- Oro*
- Wyandotte
Townships created and dissolved between 1851 and 1861 were Benton, Eureka, and Cascade.[42]
Ghost towns
- Bidwell's Bar – now located under Lake Oroville
- Butte Creek
- Coutolenc
- Diamondville
- Forks of Butte – a former gold mining settlement[43]
- Hamilton - Butte County's first permanent county seat, John Bidwell discovered gold at Hamilton in 1848, and the settlement arose. It was located on the west side of the Feather River, 15 mi (24 km) downstream from Oroville.
- Lynchburg
Population ranking
 | This section needs to be updated. (November 2023) |
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Butte County.[44]
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chico | City | 86,187 |
| 2 | Paradise | Town | 26,218 |
| 3 | † Oroville | City | 15,546 |
| 4 | Magalia | CDP | 11,310 |
| 5 | Oroville East | CDP | 8,280 |
| 6 | Thermalito | CDP | 6,646 |
| 7 | Gridley | City | 6,584 |
| 8 | South Oroville | CDP | 5,742 |
| 9 | Durham | CDP | 5,518 |
| 10 | Palermo | CDP | 5,382 |
| 11 | Kelly Ridge | CDP | 2,544 |
| 12 | Biggs | City | 1,707 |
| 13 | Berry Creek | CDP | 1,424 |
| 14 | Forest Ranch | CDP | 1,184 |
| 15 | Butte Creek Canyon | CDP | 1,086 |
| 16 | Butte Valley | CDP | 899 |
| 17 | Cohasset | CDP | 847 |
| 18 | Concow | CDP | 710 |
| 19 | Bangor | CDP | 646 |
| 20 | Honcut | CDP | 370 |
| 21 | Yankee Hill | CDP | 333 |
| t-22 | Forbestown | CDP | 320 |
| t-22 | Nord | CDP | 320 |
| 23 | Stirling City | CDP | 295 |
| 24 | Richvale | CDP | 244 |
| 25 | Rackerby | CDP | 204 |
| 26 | Berry Creek Rancheria | AIAN | 152 |
| 27 | Clipper Mills | CDP | 142 |
| 28 | Robinson Mill | CDP | 80 |
| 29 | Cherokee | CDP | 69 |
| 30 | Butte Meadows | CDP | 40 |
| 31 | Enterprise Rancheria[45] | AIAN | 1 |
Several movies have been filmed in Butte County, including Gone with the Wind,[46] The Outlaw Josey Wales,[47] Friendly Persuasion,[48] Magic Town,[49] The Klansman,[48] Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy,[48] The Adventures of Robin Hood,[48] and Under Wraps.[48] A 2013 episode of the television series Sons of Anarchy involves the sons coming into contact with corrupt police in the fictional town of Eden, located in Butte County.[50]
- Notes
- The other twelve are Teton County, Idaho; Kendall County, Illinois; Kent County, Maryland; McLean County, Illinois; Tippecanoe County, Indiana; Kent County, Michigan; Leelanau County, Michigan; Carroll County, New Hampshire; Rockingham County, New Hampshire; Marion County, Oregon; Grand County, Utah; and Albany County, Wyoming.
- References
- Other = Some other race + Two or more races
- Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native
- Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
- Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.
- Statistical Report of the California State Board of Agriculture for the Year 1918. Sacramento, CA: California State Printing Office. 1919. p. 316. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
- "Butte County High Point". Peakbagger.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
- "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
- "Butte County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (PDF). United States Geological Survey. p. 62. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
- "Death toll jumps to 23 as 'challenging' Camp Fire pushes toward Lake Oroville". The Sacramento Bee. November 10, 2018. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018.
- "California wildfires: Death toll rises to 25". BBC. November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- Gina Martinez (November 14, 2018). "The California Fire That Killed 48 People Is the Deadliest U.S. Wildfire in a Century". Time. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
- Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
- "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- Data unavailable
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Archived December 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
- United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California) Archived June 28, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
- "Statement of Vote, November 8, 2022, General Election" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 – Report of Registration Archived November 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
- "Members Assembly". State of California. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- "Senators". State of California. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- "California's 1st Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
- "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
- Wells, Frank T. Gilbert, W. L. Chambers, Harry Laurenz; Gilbert, Frank T.; Chambers, W. L. (1882). History of Butte County, California. H.L. Wells. pp. 134–139.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Colby, Robert; McDonald, Lois (2005). Magalia to Stirling City. Arcadia. p. 66. ISBN 9780738530185.
- "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
- Staff, Website Services & Coordination. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census Interactive Population Map". www.census.gov. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- "Where was Gone with the Wind filmed?". giggster.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- "195 ACRE RANCH RICH WITH HISTORY". Land.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- "CN&R • Arts&Culture • Fine Arts • Magic Town • Jun 14, 2001". Chico News & Review. July 6, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- "CN&R • Arts&Culture • Fine Arts • Magic Town • Jun 14, 2001". Chico News & Review. July 6, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- M; October 16, i Bierly Updated; EDT, 2013 at 06:05 AM. "Sons of Anarchy recap: Son Summit". EW.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
