Rural California
forests, mountains, rivers, canyons, orchards, farms, wilderness 

The states with the largest amount of land classified as rural are:
1. Alaska, 2. Texas, 3. California, 4. Montana

The state of California has the highest population in the nation, but residents are highly concentrated and unevenly distributed.

NOTE: Half the population resides in just 4 counties:
Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino

58 counties in California

In California the majority of the population live in urban (city) areas, while just a small percentage live in rural areas. California’s rural population is not highly concentrated, but distributed throughout many of the 58 counties.

Rural Relocation inside of California

Rural Northern California

California counties defined as rural:

• Alpine
• Mariposa
• Sierra
• Trinity

California counties considered mostly rural:

• Plumas
• Calaveras
• Modoc
• Siskiyou
• Amador
• Lassen
• Mono

Other CA counties w/ rural residential areas:

• Colusa
• Tuolumne
• Mendocino
• Humboldt
• Del Norte
• Lake
• San Luis Obispo
• Glenn
• Nevada
• Inyo
• El Dorado
• Shasta
• Tehama
• Butte
• Yuba

Rural areas can still be found in Southern California, in places like East County San Diego and maybe Riverside County, but the cost of real estate is high in many parts of the state and generally unaffordable.

Anything near the coast is way more expensive than sunny, hot inland locations, with desert lands being the least expensive. Food grows well in sunshine and heat, just make sure you have lots of water.

Total Escape is here to show you the rest of the state.

RELOCATING TO RURAL COUNTRY

Many older homes may be in dire need of complete renovation, so be ready to work, or hire out to have it done. Moldy foundations, collapsing basements, leaky roofs, retaining walls. Home inspection should be learned (in advance) of home ownership.

Rural ranches and mountain homes may be located on dirt roads. Snow and rain make unpaved access messy or impossible, so vehicle choice (4×4) could be an issue when relocating to wilder lands. Larger properties could be totally undeveloped.

Looking for a rural property with a well and/or a creek will ensure a good water source for years to come. If you maintain the system. Upgrades may be needed and water filters are always a reoccurring cost. Water testing is recommended for your home. Well tests are usually offered by local well companies. To drill a new well on raw land, expect to pay thousands of dollars. Especially if no road or drive way exists.

DOWN THE HILL

Shopping and groceries could be many miles away, so you’ll need to see how far you are willing to drive and how often for food staples. Hardware stores, big box stores and most conveniences of city life are now hours away.

As Americans, our ancestors come from the natives, the rebels, the adventurers – and the dreamers, many of who migrated here from the Old World (Europe) to create a better life. 

day trading in cyberspace 

Now is a time that we could re-create ourselves, as a nation and individually.

During the Great Depression of 1930’s – nearly half the US population worked in agriculture – and many households had a backyard vegetable garden. That lifestyle continued through the 1950’s, but then commercialism and pesticides took over our food; and we became less interested in food production over the decades.

DESTRACTED

Today, farm workers have decreased to less than 10% of our population. Now we rely on corporations to feed us. If you yearn for a new life – outdoors, out in the country, with less city, less noise and more nature – this site can help you find a new rural location to explore, even in Crowded California.

Total Escape has been focusing on rural California since 1996

California towns & cities by Elevation

California towns & cities by Zip Code

California Regional Map