Why Shasta County, CA, is a Great Place for Families
Discover a region that meets the needs and wants of your entire family.
Shasta County, California, is home to picturesque landscapes and a bustling economy. Considered the “Sunshine Capital of California,” this region is a magnet for families. From its affordable, safe communities and excellent schools to its abundance of outdoor recreation options, people are finding that Shasta County is an attractive place to raise a family.
The region boasts top-ranked schools, like University Preparatory School, which was recognized as one of the top 40 high schools in the state by U.S. News & World Report. Shasta High School is another standout institution, providing students with the unique opportunity to collaborate with NASA engineers in the development of space mission technology. It is one of only two high schools in the nation to be awarded such a privilege. Shasta County also offers a selection of charter schools, like the Redding School of the Arts, which places a heavy emphasis on the arts to enrich education and prepare students for the future. As a “school of choice” county, families have the ability to choose any school that suits their children’s needs, regardless of where they live.
‘An Idyllic Lifestyle’
Ericka Jones, a mother of three, speaks highly of life in Redding and the quality of its education options.
“I believe wholeheartedly that Redding and Shasta County offer an idyllic lifestyle, perfect for raising strong, critical thinking, well-adjusted children,” she says. “Its location welcomes you to nature’s playground, lakes, rivers, mountains, exploring and engaging with open spaces.”
After leaving the region for a few years, Jones found it a no-brainer to return.
“I left Redding to travel the world in my early 20s. After getting married and living in the Bay Area for a season, the choice was clear,” Jones says. “Redding checked every box, as my husband and I defined what ‘life well-lived’ looked like to us.”
Brian Grigsby, a robotics teacher at Shasta High School shared that the region is in a unique geographic location, allowing families to visit the mountains within 45 minutes, any number of lakes within 30 minutes and the California coast within three hours.
“It’s also a growing community for jobs, and the educational opportunities are world class,” he says.
Born and raised in Northern California, Bret Barnes, who teaches engineering, manufacturing and CAD at Shasta High, had a career that took him out of state for a period of time.
“I’ve always considered the North State my home,” Barnes says.
He worked across the country with Union Pacific Railroad for 12 years out of community college and always desired to move back to Shasta County.
“I decided to go back to college in 2002 at Humboldt State University to get my teaching credentials. After 10 years of out-of-state teaching, I was finally able to land a job here in Redding. I taught biology, physics and engineering at Central Valley High School for seven years and have been at Shasta High now for four years. There is no other place I would rather be than Shasta High School. I love my job, my students and my colleagues,” he says.
A Connected Community
As a third-generation Shasta County resident, Jones has made a life where she gives back to the community.
“My professional background is in higher education and public relations, but my passion is finding ways to help make my community a better place to live and work,” she says. “I am currently a city commissioner for the Community Services Advisory Commission, president of the Shasta Library Foundation and sit on a number of other local boards.”
Also born and raised in Redding, Grigsby married his high school sweetheart, Debbie, and the two decided to raise a family in their hometown. After moving to Arizona for a job opportunity, it was clear the Grigsbys wanted to return and get rooted in Redding for good.
“I have been teaching here for the better part of 27 years and have seen a lot of changes in the Redding area,” says Grigsby, a father of three and grandfather of two. “Many of my former students often return to the area because they recognize the value of our region.”
When reflecting on the close-knit nature of Shasta County, Grigsby says, “We know many of our students’ families and have even taught their parents. We care deeply about the kids in our care and go out of our way to help teach them, guide them and give them a strong start in life. We train students to be both skills-ready and career-ready when they leave our schools.”
The Area is Growing and Improving
When deciding where to settle down, Jones says she and her spouse prioritized finding a place that did not require a long commute and was affordable.
“We wanted opportunity and experiences, not a huge mortgage we felt chained to … Redding is an emerging city, and the most exciting part of living here is being able to say that we played a role in shaping the story of a city as it becomes its best version of itself,” Jones says.
Grigsby notes how Redding has made much effort over the past few years to update and improve its downtown area for people to visit, shop and live.
“With the updating of these spaces, more families have been moving in, providing more of a community,” he says. “Plus, with the numerous recreational spaces, like Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta Lake, Mount Shasta, Lassen, etc., it affords more opportunities for community building.”
This article was sponsored by the Shasta Economic Development Corporation.