California's Fastest Growing City: Paradise

Paradise, California—devastated by the deadly Camp Fire of 2018—is attracting new and returning residents as the city rebuilds its housing stock.

2 minute read

May 11, 2021, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Butte County, California

Sharon Hahn Darlin / Flickr

California’s latest population estimates show that Paradise—the Northern California town ravaged by the Camp Fire in 2018, which destroyed 10,000 buildings and killed 85 people—has seen the fastest population growth in the state in the last year.

According to estimates from the California Department of Finance, "the population of Paradise rose from 4,608 people as of Jan. 1, 2020, up to 6,046 a year later," reports Vincent Moleski.

"The town’s 31.2% leap in population outpaces the rest of the state, much of which reflected a decrease in population amid low birth rates and slower immigration," adds Moleski. The figure are even more of any outlier compared next to the totals for the entire state, which dropped in 2020 for the first time in recorded state history, as documented in an article yesterday by Planetizen correspondent Irvin Dawid.

Moleski takes the additional step of naming the cause of Paradise's influx or population: new housing construction rising from the ashes of the Camp Fire. In addition to outpacing the rest of the state in population growth, Paradise has also been outpacing the state on housing construction. "Department of Finance data show that the town increased its total housing by 32.1% in 2020, the fastest rate in the state. Much of this construction has been in single-family homes. The town’s number of single-family homes rose by nearly 40.7%, while its multi-family homes increased by 11.5%."

As documented in an article by Natalie Hanson for the Chico Enterprise-Record in December 2020, the bulk of the city's building permits have been issued to residents looking to rebuild homes lost in the Camp Fire.

Saturday, May 8, 2021 in Sacramento Bee via SFGate

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today