Magalia, California

Originally established after the 1849 California Gold Rush as a mining camp, the town was first called Mountain View.Gudde, Erwin G. 2004 California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. University of

California Press A dog breeding operation started in 1850 which led to the name Dogtown. A post office opened in 1857, which was shared with the adjacent settlement of Mill City; the two eventually united. In 1861 the name was changed to Magalia after the Latin word for cottages.

On April 12, 1859, at the Willard Claim, a hydraulic mine in the Feather River Canyon northeast of the town, a 54-pound (20 kg) gold nugget was discovered, the largest in the world at the time. Dubbed the "Dogtown Nugget", it made the town famous.{{Cite web|url=https://noehill.com/butte/cal0771.asp|title=California Historical Landmark 771: Dogtown Nugget Discovery Site in Butte County|website=noehill.com|access-date=2019-07-25}}

{{main|Camp Fire (2018)}}

The community suffered extensive damage in the Camp Fire, a wildfire which began on November 8, 2018.{{cite news | last =Ravani | first =Sarah | title =In Magalia, residents stayed to save homes, but now they're stuck | newspaper =San Francisco Chronicle | date =November 18, 2018 | url =https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/amp/In-Magalia-some-residents-stayed-to-battle-save-13400380.php | access-date =November 18, 2018 }} As of December 13, Butte County Sheriff's Department reported that at least seven people died in Magalia during the Camp Fire.{{cite web |title=Many victims of California's worst wildfire were elderly and died in or near their homes, new data show |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-paradise-fire-dead-map-20181213-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214064332/https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-paradise-fire-dead-map-20181213-story.html |archive-date=December 14, 2018 |date=December 13, 2018 |url-status=live}} Some survivors sheltered in place at a Baptist church along the only evacuation route north of the ridge.{{cite news | publisher=Bay Area News Group |work=San Jose Mercury-News| title=When survival means shelter |page=A1 |author=Lisa M. Krieger | date=February 3, 2019}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of {{convert|14.0|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. There are numerous flora and fauna species found in the vicinity including mammals such as Black tailed deer, raccoon, and grey squirrel. A considerable number of amphibians are also found such as the Rough-skinned Newt, whose southern range in the California interior occurs near Magalia.C. Michael Hogan (2008) [http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=43182 "Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527153302/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=43182 |date=2009-05-27 }}, Globaltwitcher, ed. N. Stromberg{{retrieved}}. The soil, deep reddish-brown loam for the most part, supports forest dominated by tall incense cedar and bull pine.

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Magalia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=445840&cityname=Magalia%2C+California%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Magalia, California]

{{US Census population

|1990= 8987

|2000= 10569

|2010= 11310

|2020= 7795

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1990{{Cite web|title= 1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

2000{{Cite web|title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}} 2010{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}

}}

Magalia first appeared as a census designated place in the 1990 U.S. Census.

The 2020 United States census reported that Magalia had a population of 7,795. The population density was {{convert|556.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Magalia was 84.3% White, 0.5% African American, 1.6% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 9.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.9% of the population.{{cite web |title=Magalia CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0645120 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 28, 2025}}

The census reported that 98.9% of the population lived in households, 1.1% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 3,103 households, out of which 22.3% included children under the age of 18, 43.4% were married-couple households, 9.7% were cohabiting couple households, 24.5% had a female householder with no partner present, and 22.3% had a male householder with no partner present. 25.9% of households were one person, and 14.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 2,011 families (64.8% of all households).{{cite web |title=Magalia CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0645120 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 28, 2025}}

The age distribution was 18.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% aged 18 to 24, 21.0% aged 25 to 44, 29.2% aged 45 to 64, and 25.7% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 49.6{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males.

There were 3,442 housing units at an average density of {{convert|245.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 3,103 (90.2%) were occupied. Of these, 80.5% were owner-occupied, and 19.5% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 3.7% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 93.6% spoke only English at home, 2.9% spoke Spanish, 1.7% spoke other Indo-European languages, 1.8% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 0.0% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 91.4% were high school graduates and 20.1% had a bachelor's degree.{{cite web |title=Magalia CDP, California; CP02: Comparative Social Characteristics in the United States - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSCP5Y2023.CP02?g=1600000US0645120 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 28, 2025}}

The median household income in 2023 was $60,625, and the per capita income was $30,786. About 6.8% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line.{{cite web |title=Magalia CDP, California; DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics - 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?g=1600000US0645120 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 28, 2025}}

The 2010 United States Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0645120|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715031123/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0645120|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA — Magalia CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}} reported that Magalia had a population of 11,310. The population density was {{convert|806.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Magalia was 10,398 (91.9%) White, 40 (0.4%) African American, 141 (1.2%) Native American, 90 (0.8%) Asian, 17 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 134 (1.2%) from other races, and 490 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 765 persons (6.8%).

The Census reported that 11,297 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 13 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,825 households, out of which 1,217 (25.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,483 (51.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 515 (10.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 278 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 311 (6.4%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 34 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,239 households (25.7%) were made up of individuals, and 623 (12.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 3,276 families (67.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.75.

The population was spread out, with 2,165 people (19.1%) under the age of 18, 789 people (7.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,104 people (18.6%) aged 25 to 44, 3,573 people (31.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,679 people (23.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

There were 5,355 housing units at an average density of {{convert|382.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, of which 4,825 were occupied, of which 3,713 (77.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,112 (23.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.1%. 8,212 people (72.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,085 people (27.3%) lived in rental housing units.

Almost all of Magalia is in the Paradise Unified School District. Small pieces of the census-designated place extend into the Chico Unified School District.{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06007_butte/DC20SD_C06007.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butte County, CA|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2025-05-31}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06007_butte/DC20SD_C06007_SD2MS.txt Text list]

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060318054721/http://www.paradisedirect.com/otr_magalia.php Magalia info, weather, history and more]
• [http://www.californiahistory.com/dogtown.html History of Dogtown]

{{Butte County, California}}

{{Sacramento Valley}}

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Category:Census-designated places in Butte County, California

Category:Paradise, California

Category:Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)

Category:Census-designated places in California