Paradise is home to 7,392 people in California. The median age is 57.4, about 18 years above the US median. The population has fallen 72% since 2000. That trails the California median by roughly 32%. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,687, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 57.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 103%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Paradise
What changed most since 1990
Population25,408 → 7,392(−71%)US over the same years: +35%
Median age44.9 → 57.4(+12.5 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Poverty rate11.1% → 18.2%(+7.1 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Paradise's population equals 3.6% of Butte County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 1.2% of the county's. Its number of veterans equals 8.7% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)21.6%(211)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.3%(208)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.5%(308)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(38)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.7%(17)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 978 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Paradise, decade by decade
Paradise population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
25,408
$55,091
$235,207
15.1%
13.8
2000
26,408
$58,043
$204,572
19.4%
20.7
2010
26,218
$61,627
$345,257
20.6%
27.9
2020
4,764
$59,723
$319,978
24.9%
38.6
2024
7,392
$67,687
$416,000
31.9%
45.1
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
