Alturas, CA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Alturas (Spanish for "Heights"; Achumawi: Kasalektawi) is the only incorporated city in Modoc County, California, United States, of which it is also the county seat. Located in the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California, the city had a population of 2,715 at the 2020 census. Alturas is located at the confluence of the south and north forks of the Pit River, east of the center of Modoc County, at an elevation of 4,370 feet (1,330 m). Alturas is one of the largest cities in the region and a local economic hub.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Alturas ranks

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#3Closest to a top hospital in CA #3Cheapest rent in CA #8Most affordable in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code96101

Area code530

Living in Alturas

Housing in Alturas

$180K▲ 3.9% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Alturas home is worth about $180,000, up 3.9% in a year, 76% below the California typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Alturas

D

Safety Grade D

Alturas reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 86% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Alturas 7.6

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Alturas 6.4

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Alturas

C

Health Grade C

Healthier than 29% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 45% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with California

11worse than CA

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 21 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care all close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.9%More adults with COPDCA 5.1% · worse 16.2%More smokersCA 10.9% · worse 8%More adults with heart diseaseCA 5.6% · worse

Care nearby

Modoc Medical CenterAlturas · 0.2 mi · ER · rural critical access

Big Valley Medical CenterBieber · 38.9 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Alturas · CMS · HRSAHealth in Alturas →

Schools in Alturas

All Alturas schools →

C

School Grade C

The public schools Alturas’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 73% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Alturas’s schools compare in CA →

DistrictModoc Joint UnifiedSchools7

Alturas Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 333 students Modoc Middle B-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 172 students High Desert Community DayMiddle · Grades 6–10 · 3 students Modoc High CHigh · Grades 9–12 · 245 students Warner HighHigh · Grades 9–12 · 13 students Modoc County ROPHigh · Grades 9–12

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.