Moniteau County Courthouse Square · National Register of Historic Places
California’s story
192 years in pictures
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1834California is settled
CaliforniaMO
A town of 4,509, settled in 1834. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0
Population
4,509
+5.1% since 2010
Typical home
$243K
+3.8% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
38.9
years
Jobs based here
1,491
A commuter town
What makes California stand out
The 3 things California does most differently from other towns.
A−School Grade
Schools
#68 for schools in MO
of 226 towns
School Grade A−.
Outdoors
#81 most walkable in MO
0.0 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
2.2% of the town is conserved land.
$243Ktypical home
Housing
$243K typical home
9% below the MO typical home
Up 3.8% in a year.
California’s report card
Now in California
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in California? Is an A− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in California’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →73°
Clear
H 71° · L 49°
Local news
All →- California mom honors son who passed from suicide with parade float, advocacyKOMU 8 · Sep 19
- California, Mo. man accused of leading Jefferson City police on high-speed chaseCentral Mo Info · Aug 12
- California, Mo., residents gather at City Hall forum over data centers, Flock cameraskrcgtv.com · Aug 12
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in California. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
California’s public schools outperform 77% of Missouri districts
The public schools California’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 77% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Elem. | PK–4 | 504 | B+ |
| California Middle | 5–8 | 394 | A− |
| California High | 9–12 | 439 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Outdoors
2.2% of California is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
2.2%conserved
2.2%
conserved · 55 of 2,470 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#112
most conserved land in MO
#81
most walkable in MO
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Proctor Park | — | 37 |
| 2. California Sports Complex | — | 19 |
| 3. City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical California home is worth about $243K
The typical California home is worth about $243,000, up 3.8% in a year, 9% below the Missouri typical home.
$243KZillow home value
Typical home value
California$243K
Missouri$268K
Market temperature
30
days on market
+3.8%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
California beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | California | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 11.7% | 8.7% |
Ssm Health St. Mary's Hospital - Jefferson City
16.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
54th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in California
About one in 5 of California’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Jefferson City (29%), Columbia (6%) and Jamestown (2%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
21%work in town
Where working residents work
In California21%
Jefferson City29%
Columbia6%
Jamestown2%
Sedalia1%
21 mi
median commute distance
1,491
jobs based in California
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 28% of U.S. communities.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
California has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–43°
Spring44–66°
Summer66–86°
Fall46–67°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Landmarks
5 places in California on the National Register of Historic Places.
About California
City in Missouri, U.S.
California is a city in and the county seat of Moniteau County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,498. It is the largest city in Moniteau County and the third largest city in the Jefferson City metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1834
- Population
- 4,498
- Area
- 3.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 892 ft
- ZIP code
- 65018
- Area code
- 573
More about California
Still missing for California:archive photosupcoming events