Redding’s growth remained slow but steady in 2025.
U.S. Census data trends and population predictions show the number of Redding residents counted was 93,502 in a show of population stability, with some small gains since the COVID-19 pandemic brought life to a halt in communities in California and around the country.
Shasta County insurance seller and Redding Mayor Mike Littau credits lower-than-average California real estate prices and the more relaxed pace of life for the population bump. “People are attracted to lower cost of living and getting out of the rat race in bigger cities,” he said. “I have helped hundreds of new customers moving to the area” who are “getting away from San Francisco Bay Area.”
2025 showed Redding’s population has most stayed just under 94,000 residents since 2020, the year the coronavirus shut down most businesses and closed event venues to curb its spread. Redding’s population dropped to 92,584 in 2022 from 93,746 as COVID hit in March 2020.
Since then, the city has grown, just slightly.
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Reasons are varied, with some possible ties to a surge in real estate costs in Redding and post-pandemic economic recovery in some other parts of the country, according to World Population Review and the U.S. Census Bureau.
“I saw a trend of people leaving for Tennessee, Idaho and Texas” during the pandemic, Littau said, while those coming to Redding were mostly from other parts of California.
U.S. Census data showed the city’s residential population reached 93,502 people in 2024, a sign Redding was bouncing back from that small exodus.
“Population growth is great for the city to fill in gaps” in undeveloped areas, where Redding has roads cutting through countryside, said Littau, pointing out that Chico’s similar population has to maintain about half the miles of roadway as Redding does. Growth means more property and sales tax money coming into city coffers to cover roadway maintenance, and to pay for safety and fire mitigation services.
When did Redding’s population grow the most?
World Population Review data shows Redding’s biggest population surge happened in the 1970s.
Redding grows while nationwide growth slows
Redding’s 1% growth over the past couple of years may seem small, but it’s double the national trend.
“Population growth in the United States has slowed significantly with an increase of only 1.8 million, or 0.5%, between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025,” the U.S. Census Bureau reported; “Slower population growth was felt across the country … Every state except Montana and West Virginia saw their growth slow, or their decline accelerate.”
A primary reason the U.S. didn’t grow as fast in 2025 as in 2024 is a slowdown in immigration from outside the U.S., the Census Bureau said. Immigration peaked at 2.7 million in 2024, declining to 2.3 million by July 2025.
Census officials predicted a larger decline in immigrant numbers in 2026, dropping to roughly 321,000 “if current trends continue.”
As of 2025, the United States is home to more than a third of a billion (342,322,055) people.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding grows a bit as people seek lower costs, slower pace of life
Reporting by Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
