Editing Trinity County, California

{{short description|County in California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Trinity County, California
 | official_name            = County of Trinity
 | other_name               = 
 | settlement_type          = [[Counties of California|County]]
 | image_skyline            = {{photomontage
   | photo1a = Weaverville Historic District-3.jpg
   | photo1b = Hayfork Creek.jpg
   | photo2a = Trinity lake California.jpg
   | photo2b = WEAVERVILLE JOSS HOUSE STATE HISTORIC PARK - CALIFORNIA.jpg
   | spacing = 1
   | size = 300 | position = center }}
 | image_caption            = Images, from top down, left to right: [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville Historic District]], [[Hayfork Creek]], [[Trinity Lake]], [[Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park]]
 | image_flag               = 
 | image_seal               = Seal of Trinity County, California.png
 | seal_size                = 
 | image_map                = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}
 | map_caption              = Interactive map of Trinity County
 | image_map1               = Map of California highlighting Trinity County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 200px
 | map_caption1             = Location in the state of [[California]]
 | subdivision_type         = Country
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[California]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of regions of California|Region]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[North Coast (California)|North Coast]]
 | established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
 | established_date         = February 18, 1850<ref name=csac>{{cite web |url= http://www.counties.org/general-information/chronology |title= Chronology |work= California State Association of Counties |access-date=February 6, 2015}}</ref>
 | named_for                = [[Trinity River (California)|Trinity River]]
 | seat_type                = [[County seat]]
 | seat                     = [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]]
 | seat1_type               = Largest community
 | seat1                    = Weaverville
 | government_type          = [[Council–manager government|Council–CAO]]
 | leader_title             = Chair
 | leader_name              = Liam Gogan
 | leader_title1            = Vice Chair
 | leader_name1             = Heidi Carpenter-Harris
 | leader_title2            = Board of Supervisors<ref name="trinitycounty.org">{{cite web | url=https://www.trinitycounty.org/Board-of-Supervisors | title=Board of Supervisors &#124; Trinity County }}</ref>
 | leader_name2             = {{Collapsible list
    | title = Supervisors
    | 1 = Ric Leutwyler
    | 2 = Jill Cox
    | 3 = Liam Gogan
    | 4 = Heidi Carpenter-Harris
    | 5 = Julia Brownfield
   }}
 | leader_title4            = County Administrative Officer
 | leader_name4             = Trent Tuthill
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 3208
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 3179
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 28
 | elevation_max_footnotes  = <ref>[[Mount Eddy]]</ref>
 | elevation_max_ft         = 9037
 | elevation_min_footnotes  = 
 | elevation_min_ft         = 
<!-- Population ----------->
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|April 1, 2020]]
 | population_total         = 16112
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2024
 | population_est           = 15642 {{loss}}
 | population_footnotes     = <ref name="UsCensus2020" />
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
|demographics_type2        = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes  = <ref>{{Cite web|title= Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Trinity County, CA|url= https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPALL06105|work=[[Federal Reserve Economic Data]] |publisher=[[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]]}}</ref>
|demographics2_title1     = Total
|demographics2_info1      = $0.466 billion (2022)
 | timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone]]
 | utc_offset               = &minus;8
 | timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = &minus;7
 | postal_code_type         = <!--[[ZIP code]]-->
 | postal_code              = 
 | area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
 | area_code                = [[Area code 530|530]]
 | blank_name_sec1          = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
 | blank_info_sec1          = 06-105
 | blank1_name_sec1         = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
 | blank1_info_sec1         = {{GNIS 4|277317}}
 | website                  = {{URL|www.trinitycounty.org}}
 | blank_name_sec2          = Congressional district
 | blank_info_sec2          = [[California's 2nd congressional district|2nd]]
}}

'''Trinity County''' is a [[List of counties in California|county]] located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of [[California]]. Trinity County is rugged, mountainous, heavily forested, and lies along the [[Trinity River (California)|Trinity River]] (for which it is named) within the [[Salmon Mountains|Salmon]], [[Klamath Mountains]], as well as a portion of the Scott, Trinity, and North Yolla Bolly Mountains. It is also one of three counties in California with no incorporated cities (the other two counties in California with that distinction are [[Alpine County, California|Alpine]] and [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa]] counties).<ref>California State Association of Counties. [https://www.counties.org/cities-within-each-county "Cities Within Each County"], ""[[California State Association of Counties]]"", Retrieved on June 4, 2018.</ref>

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 16,112,<ref name="UsCensus2020">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/trinitycountycalifornia|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 14, 2021}}</ref> making it the fifth least-populous county in California, and the least-populous of California's 27 original counties. The [[county seat]] and largest community is [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

==History==
Trinity County has a rich history of Native Americans: [[Tsnungwe]] including the South Fork Hupa and tł'oh-mitah-xwe,<ref>[https://2075a3e3-b3ae-464a-a7a6-9fbb9755721a.filesusr.com/ugd/089640_47891ce71441427b88e6b0ec214252f1.pdf Tsnungwe Place Names, by Tsnungwe Tribal Elders, 1994]</ref>  Chimariko, and Wintu.

The county takes its name from the [[Trinity River (California)|Trinity River]], which was in turn named in 1845 by Major [[Pierson B. Reading]], who was under the mistaken impression that the river emptied into [[Trinidad, California|Trinidad Bay]]. ''Trinity'' is the [[English language|English]] translation of Trinidad.

Trinity County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county were ceded to [[Klamath County, California|Klamath County]] in 1852 and to [[Humboldt County, California|Humboldt County]] in 1853.

===Boundary dispute with Mendocino County===
In the first half of the 1850s the [[California State Legislature]] established that the boundaries of [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino]] and Trinity Counties was the [[40th parallel north]]. Both county board of supervisor's hired the [[surveyor]] W.H. Fauntleroy to survey the parallel, which he completed on October 30, 1872. The accuracy of the boundary was doubtful, and by 1891 the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors requested the California surveyor-general to survey the line and establish the boundaries between the two counties. The new line, as surveyed by Sam H. Rice and approved by the [[California Attorney General]] on December 18, 1891, was found to be two miles north of the common boundary surveyed by W.H. Fauntleroy, thereby resulting in Trinity County exercising jurisdiction two miles south of the 40th parallel north. Between 1891 and 1907, both counties claimed that the two mile wide strip of land belonged to themselves and not the other, with both counties attempting to levy and collect [[property tax]] land in said strip. In 1907, Trinity County sued Mendocino County in a [[Tehama County, California|Tehama County]] court to settle the dispute. The [[trial court]] in Tehama County ruled in favor of Trinity County, even though the land was situated south of the 40th parallel and state law stated that lands south of that parallel belonged to Mendocino County. The [[appellate court]] upheld the ruling of the trial court since Section 10 of the special act of March 30, 1872 (Stats. 1871-2, p.&nbsp;766), which concerned this boundary and was the act under which Fauntleroy acted under, authorized the survey of the theretofore unknown location of the 40th parallel north, stated that "the lines run out, marked and defined as required by this act are hereby declared to be the true boundary lines of the counties named herein", thereby making the law in the political code which defined the boundary as the 40th parallel north only a suggestion and not a fact.<ref>{{cite court|litigants=County of Trinity v. County of Mendocino |vol=151 |reporter=Cal. |opinion=279 |pinpoint= |court= |date= |url=https://casetext.com/case/trinity-county-v-mendocino-county}}</ref> The legislature subsequently affirmed this decision, with the modern statute defining the borders of the two counties referencing the survey of Fauntleroy as being the boundary between the two counties instead of the 40th parallel north.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=23153.|title=California Government Code § 23153|publisher=[[California Office of Legislative Counsel]]|date=1947|access-date=January 11, 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|3208|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3179|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|28|sqmi}} (0.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The county contains a significant portion of [[Shasta-Trinity National Forest]] and the [[Trinity Alps Wilderness]]—the second largest wilderness in California.

Trinity County is made up of five census tracts. Census Tract 1.01 includes the communities of Douglas City, Lewiston, Trinity Center, and part of Coffee Creek and Weaverville. Notable features are Trinity Dam and Lake, Lewiston Dam and Lake, the Trinity River, and the Lewiston Valley. It has a population of 2585 people in 550 square miles, leading to a population density of 4.7 people per square mile.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Census profile: Census Tract 1.01, Trinity, CA|url=http://censusreporter.org/profiles/14000US06105000101-census-tract-101-trinity-ca/|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=Census Reporter|language=en}}</ref> Census Tract 1.02 includes most of Weaverville and Coffee Creek. It is the most populous census tract in the county, with 4558 people. It has 449 square miles, leading to a population density of 10.2 people per square mile. Notable features are the Weaver Basin, the Trinity Alps, Scott Mountains, and the upper Trinity River.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Census Tract, Census Tract 1.02, Trinity County, California|url=http://www.usboundary.com/Areas/Census%20Tract/California/Trinity%20County/Census%20Tract%201.02/439515|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=www.usboundary.com}}</ref> Census Tract 2 includes the Downriver area of Trinity County. This means the communities of Junction City, Big Flat, Big Bar, Burnt Ranch, Hawkins Bar, and Salyer. It includes 2024 people, and notable features are the Trinity River, the Trinity Alps, and the New River.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trinity County {{!}} Place Rankings {{!}} Data Commons|url=https://datacommons.org/ranking/Count_Person/CensusTract/geoId/06105|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=datacommons.org}}</ref> Census Tract 3 includes the communities of Hayfork, Hyampom, and Wildwood. It has 3105 people in 600 square miles, leading to a population density of 5.2 people per square mile. Notable features are the South Fork of the Trinity River, South Fork Mountain, Hayfork Valley and Hayfork Creek, Hyampom Valley, Chanchellula Peak and Wilderness area, and Hayfork Bally. Census Tract 4 is the largest by area but the least populous census tract in the county with 975 people. It contains 833 square miles, leading to a population density of 1.2 people per square mile. The largest community by far is Mad River, with other smaller ones being Ruth, Kettenpom, and Zenia. Notable features include South Fork Mountain, the Mad River, the Van Duzen River, Ruth Lake, Ruth Valley, Kettenpom Valley, Hoaglin Valley, and Hettenshaw Valley.

The county hosts many visitors, especially during summer months, for camping, backpacking, boating on the lakes, rafting/kayaking on the rivers, hunting, and fishing. The summers tend to be clear, sunny, warm, and very dry, with little rain from June to September except for some mountain thunderstorms in the highest elevations. Summer days in the populated areas of the county range from 85 to 100 degrees, and summer nights range from 45 to 62 Winter days range from 35 to 50, and nights range from 18 to 35. The winters tend to have copious precipitation, increasing with elevation and falling mostly as rain under {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the valley bottoms, and mostly as snow over {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the mountainsides. December, January, and February are the wettest. The precipitation ranges from 30 to 35 inches at low elevations isolated from coastal influence, such as Big Bar, Hayfork, and Weaverville, up to 55 or 60 inches at high elevations, on the coastal side of South Fork Mountain, or where gaps in the mountain allow for precipitation to get through. Examples of this last phenomenon include Salyer and Forest Glen. Kalmia Lake, at nearly 7500 feet in the Canyon Creek area of the Trinity Alps, is reputed to be the snowiest place in California, outpacing Lake Helen in Mount Lassen National Park, which receives 600-700 inches of snow each winter. Average snowfall in the populated parts of the county ranges from 0-5 inches in the lower Trinity Valley to at least 100 inches in places above 4000 feet, such as Indian Valley west of Hayfork.

There is an extensive wild river and stream system, and the terrain is quite rugged and forested, with the highest point at [[Mount Eddy]], over {{convert|9000|ft|m|abbr=on}}. The [[Klamath Mountains]] occupy the vast portion of the county.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Siskiyou County, California|Siskiyou County]] - north
* [[Shasta County, California|Shasta County]] - east
* [[Tehama County, California|Tehama County]] - southeast
* [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]] - south
* [[Humboldt County, California|Humboldt County]] - west

===National protected areas===
* [[Shasta-Trinity National Forest]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/stnf |title=Shasta-Trinity National Forest - Home |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |date=August 22, 2018 |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Six Rivers National Forest]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/srnf |title=Six Rivers National Forest - Home |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |date=August 24, 2018 |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Mendocino National Forest]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino |title=Mendocino National Forest - Home |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/stnf/about-forest/?cid=fsm9_008651 |title=Shasta-Trinity National Forest - About the Forest |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Trinity Alps Wilderness]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/stnf/recarea/?recid=6521 |title=Shasta-Trinity National Forest - Trinity Alps Wilderness |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
* [[Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness]] (part)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mendocino/recarea/?recid=25186 |title=Mendocino National Forest - Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref>
[[Chancelulla Wilderness]]

==Climate==
Trinity County has a [[mediterranean climate]] with very warm, dry and sunny summer days and high [[diurnal temperature variation]] due to the cool nights. The hot afternoons form a stark contrast to the mild [[Eureka, California#Climate|coastal climates]] of [[Humboldt County, California#Climate|Humboldt County]] relatively nearby. Winters are chilly and wet. Below is climate normals from county seat [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]]. There are different [[microclimate]]s in the county as elevations vary.

{{Weather box|location = Weaverville, California (1991–2020 normals, 1894–2020 extremes)
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 75
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 94
|May record high F = 106
|Jun record high F = 113
|Jul record high F = 113
|Aug record high F = 116
|Sep record high F = 111
|Oct record high F = 104
|Nov record high F = 89
|Dec record high F = 85
|year record high F = 116
| Jan avg record high F = 61.0
| Feb avg record high F = 69.2
| Mar avg record high F = 77.4
| Apr avg record high F = 84.8
| May avg record high F = 93.5
| Jun avg record high F = 101.0
| Jul avg record high F = 105.3
| Aug avg record high F = 104.4
| Sep avg record high F = 100.6
| Oct avg record high F = 91.0
| Nov avg record high F = 72.4
| Dec avg record high F = 59.1
|year avg record high F = 106.8
|Jan high F = 49.5
|Feb high F = 55.3
|Mar high F = 61.1
|Apr high F = 67.6
|May high F = 77.1
|Jun high F = 86.1
|Jul high F = 95.1
|Aug high F = 94.5
|Sep high F = 88.5
|Oct high F = 75.2
|Nov high F = 57.3
|Dec high F = 46.7
|year high F = 71.2
|Jan mean F = 40.3
|Feb mean F = 43.3
|Mar mean F = 47.2
|Apr mean F = 51.8
|May mean F = 59.4
|Jun mean F = 66.3
|Jul mean F = 73.7
|Aug mean F = 72.3
|Sep mean F = 66.2
|Oct mean F = 55.8
|Nov mean F = 45.4
|Dec mean F = 38.6
|year mean F = 55.0
|Jan low F = 31.2
|Feb low F = 31.2
|Mar low F = 33.3
|Apr low F = 36.1
|May low F = 41.8
|Jun low F = 46.4
|Jul low F = 52.2
|Aug low F = 50.0
|Sep low F = 43.9
|Oct low F = 36.4
|Nov low F = 33.4
|Dec low F = 30.5
|year low F = 38.9
| Jan avg record low F = 20.3
| Feb avg record low F = 20.7
| Mar avg record low F = 23.1
| Apr avg record low F = 25.7
| May avg record low F = 31.3
| Jun avg record low F = 35.9
| Jul avg record low F = 43.8
| Aug avg record low F = 42.6
| Sep avg record low F = 34.8
| Oct avg record low F = 27.1
| Nov avg record low F = 21.3
| Dec avg record low F = 19.0
|year avg record low F = 14.9
|Jan record low F = -7
|Feb record low F = 0
|Mar record low F = 12
|Apr record low F = 16
|May record low F = 22
|Jun record low F = 28
|Jul record low F = 32
|Aug record low F = 29
|Sep record low F = 23
|Oct record low F = 14
|Nov record low F = 4
|Dec record low F = -10
|year record low F = -10
|Jan precipitation inch = 6.68
|Feb precipitation inch = 5.69
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.01
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.62
|May precipitation inch = 1.86
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.93
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.27
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.17
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.31
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.00
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.33
|Dec precipitation inch = 7.67
|year precipitation inch = 37.54
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan snow inch = 2.2
|Feb snow inch = 1.3
|Mar snow inch = 0.2
|Apr snow inch = 0.2
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.8
|Dec snow inch = 4.0
|year snow inch = 8.7
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 17.1
|Feb precipitation days = 14.8
|Mar precipitation days = 13.8
|Apr precipitation days = 10.3
|May precipitation days = 5.7
|Jun precipitation days = 3.6
|Jul precipitation days = 1.3
|Aug precipitation days = 1.2
|Sep precipitation days = 2.1
|Oct precipitation days = 6.0
|Nov precipitation days = 14.5
|Dec precipitation days = 18.1
|year precipitation days=
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.5
| Dec snow days = 1.4
| Jan snow days = 1.5
| Feb snow days = 0.8
| Mar snow days = 0.4
| Apr snow days = 0.3
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
|year snow days =
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=eka
|title=Weaverville - NWS Eureka NOAA Online Weather Data
|accessdate=February 13, 2021}}</ref>
}}

== Politics ==
Trinity was a Republican-leaning county in [[President of the United States|Presidential]] and [[United States Congress|congressional]] elections until recently; now it is a tossup. No Democrat had won the county since [[Jimmy Carter]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1976|1976]] until [[Barack Obama]] defeated [[John McCain]] by a 4% margin (50% to 46%) in 2008. In 2012, the county again voted Republican, but narrowly. Voter registration reflects this trend, with Democratic and Republican registration in a near dead heat (D: 2,710, R: 2,716). Third-party candidates tend to do rather well in Trinity County: [[George Wallace]] got over 13% of the county's vote in [[United States presidential election in California, 1968|1968]], and it was the only California county carried by [[Ross Perot]] in [[United States presidential election in California, 1992|1992]]. It was also Perot's best performance in the state in [[United States presidential election in California, 1996|1996]], although he didn't carry it again. [[John B. Anderson|John Anderson]] also did very well in 1980, as did third-party candidates in [[United States presidential election in California, 2016|2016]].

Trinity County was the only California county where Obama won in [[2008 United States presidential election in California|2008]] and [[Joe Biden]] lost in [[2020 United States presidential election in California|2020]].

{{PresHead|place=Trinity County, California|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>|source2=<ref group=note>This total comprised 343 votes for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (who was official Republican nominee in California), 182 votes for [[Socialist Party of America|Socialist]] [[Eugene V. Debs]] and 9 votes for [[Prohibition Party]] nominee [[Eugene W. Chafin]].</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,979|2,449|249|California}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,188|2,851|291|California}}  
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,812|2,214|758|California}}  
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,716|2,674|349|California}}  
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|2,940|3,233|257|California}}  
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,560|2,782|171|California}}  
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,340|1,932|525|California}}  
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,530|2,203|1,160|California}}  
{{PresRow|1992|Independent|1,886|1,967|2,176|California}}  
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,267|2,518|195|California}}  
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,544|2,218|173|California}}  
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,048|1,734|764|California}}  
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,989|2,172|195|California}}  
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,868|1,621|192|California}}  
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,426|1,433|448|California}}  
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,252|2,175|12|California}}  
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,418|2,262|18|California}}  
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,447|1,406|17|California}}  
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,697|1,242|31|California}}  
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|975|1,053|135|California}}  
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|567|770|6|California}}  
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|780|1,431|31|California}}  
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|655|1,424|43|California}}  
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|318|1,101|89|California}}  
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|447|433|35|California}}  
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|336|154|431|California}}  
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|622|285|82|California}}  
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|424|661|121|California}}  
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1|461|534|California}}  
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|393|331|161|California}}  
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|467|308|88|California}}  
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|544|485|10|California}}  
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|502|545|34|California}}  
{{PresFoot|1892|Republican|495|457|22|California}}

Trinity County is in {{Representative|cacd|2|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|2|access-date=March 1, 2013}}</ref>

In the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]] Trinity is in {{Representative|casd|2|fmt=sdistrict}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators |title=Senators |access-date=March 10, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}</ref> and {{Representative|caad|2|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers |title=Members Assembly |access-date=March 2, 2013 |publisher=State of California}}</ref>

In 2010, Trinity County voted against Proposition 19, which would have [[Legality of cannabis|taxed and regulated marijuana]].

In 2016 Trinity County residents were asked again to vote on legalization of state-level recreational marijuana, facilitated by the [[Adult Use of Marijuana Act]] (AUMA), also known as California Proposition 64. The measure passed with 50.1% in favor of legalization.<ref>{{cite web|title=CA Prop 64 state and county votes|url=http://graphics.latimes.com/la-na-pol-2016-election-results-california/|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 8, 2016 |access-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref> Statewide, the measure passed with 57.1% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ballotpedia California Prop 64 (2016)|url=https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_64,_Marijuana_Legalization_(2016)|website=Ballotpedia|publisher=Ballotpedia.com|access-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref>

=== Voter registration statistics ===

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and registered voters
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| colspan="2" | 13,711
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Registered voters<ref name="CA-SS">California Secretary of State. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727173649/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf |date=July 27, 2013 }}. Retrieved October 31, 2013.</ref><ref name="PCT-RV" group=note>Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.</ref>
| 7,846
| 57.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 2,630
| 33.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Republican<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 2,695
| 34.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Democratic&ndash;Republican spread<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| <span style="color:purple;">'''-65'''</span>
| <span style="color:purple;">'''-0.8%'''</span>
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Independent<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 376
| 4.8%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 126
| 1.6%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Libertarian<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 93
| 1.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Peace and Freedom<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 33
| 0.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Americans Elect<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 0
| 0.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 100
| 1.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No party preference<ref name="CA-SS"/>
| 1,793
| 22.9%
|}

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
*[[File:California 299.svg|25px]] [[California State Route 299|State Route 299]]<ref name="quickmap.dot.ca.gov">{{cite web|url=http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov|title=QuickMap|first=State of California|last=Caltrans|website=quickmap.dot.ca.gov}}</ref>
*[[File:California 3.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 3|State Route 3]]<ref name="quickmap.dot.ca.gov"/>
*[[File:California 36.svg|20px]] [[California State Route 36|State Route 36]]<ref name="quickmap.dot.ca.gov"/>

===Public transportation===
[[File:Trinity County, California.ogv|thumb|350px|Timelapse of section of Trinity County, California, looking at evidence of clear-cut logging over the years 1972–1994. Data from [[Landsat]] satellites.]]

[[Trinity Transit]] provides weekday intercity bus service on State Routes 3 and 299, with connecting service in Willow Creek and the [[Redding station (California)|Redding Amtrak station]]. Service is also provided from Weaverville to Lewiston (MWF) and Hayfork (daily).

===Airports===
The county owns five general aviation airports: [[Trinity Center Airport]], [[Weaverville Airport]], [[Hayfork Airport]], [[Hyampom Airport]] and [[Ruth Airport]].  The closest major airport is in [[Sacramento International Airport|Sacramento]].

== Crime ==

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| colspan="2" | 13,711
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11">Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. [http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf Table 11: Crimes &ndash; 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222315/http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf |date=December 2, 2013 }}. Retrieved November 14, 2013.</ref>
| 22 || 1.60
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Homicide<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 0 || 0.00
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Forcible rape<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 0 || 0.00
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Robbery<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 3 || 0.22
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 19 || 1.39
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Property crime<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 123 || 8.97
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Burglary<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 60 || 4.38
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Larceny-theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/><ref name="LT-note" group="note">Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.</ref>
| 66 || 4.81
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Motor vehicle theft<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 26 || 1.90
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Arson<ref name="CA-DOJ-T11"/>
| 0 || 0.00
|}

==Demographics==
===2020===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Trinity County, California – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Trinity County, California |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US06105&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Trinity County, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06105&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Trinity County, California |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06105&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|11,271
|11,518
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11,374
|86.55%
|83.55%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |70.59%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|54
|45
|style='background: #ffffe6; |66
|0.41%
|0.33%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.41%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|583
|558
|style='background: #ffffe6; |416
|4.48%
|4.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.58%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|58
|93
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,212
|0.45%
|0.67%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13.73%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|15
|16
|style='background: #ffffe6; |24
|0.12%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.15%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other Race]] alone (NH)
|13
|20
|style='background: #ffffe6; |106
|0.10%
|0.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.66%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|511
|577
|style='background: #ffffe6; |977
|3.92%
|4.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.06%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|517
|959
|style='background: #ffffe6; |937
|3.97%
|6.96%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.82%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''13,022'''
|'''13,786'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''16,112'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

=== 2011 ===

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible collapsible collapsed"
|-
! colspan=6 | Population, race, and income
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| colspan=2 | 13,711
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 12,201
| 89.0%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Black or African American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 53
| 0.4%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;American Indian or Alaska Native<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 237
| 1.7%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 158
| 1.2%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 40
| 0.3%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Some other race<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 130
| 0.9%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;&nbsp;Two or more races<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
| 892
| 6.5%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | &nbsp;Hispanic or Latino (of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.</ref>
| 924
| 6.7%
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $22,551
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $37,672
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
| colspan=2 | $46,980
|}

==== Places by population, race, and income ====

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan=9 | Places by population and race
|-
! Place
! Type<ref name="US-CB">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Population<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | White<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Other<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/><br /><ref name="other" group=note>Other = Some other race + Two or more races</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Asian<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Black or African<br />American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/>
! data-sort-type="number" | Native American<ref name="US-CB-B02001"/><br /><ref name="na" group=note>Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native</ref>
! data-sort-type="number" | Hispanic or Latino<br />(of any race)<ref name="US-CB-B03003"/>
|-
| [[Burnt Ranch, California|Burnt Ranch]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 293 || 92.8% || 6.1% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 1.0% || 2.0%
|-
| [[Coffee Creek, California|Coffee Creek]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 219 || 96.3% || 3.7% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 3.7%
|-
| [[Douglas City, California|Douglas City]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 647 || 87.6% || 10.7% || 1.4% || 0.0% || 0.3% || 5.6%
|-
| [[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 2,300 || 83.9% || 10.9% || 3.6% || 0.0% || 1.6% || 7.7%
|-
| [[Hyampom, California|Hyampom]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 250 || 71.1% || 28.9% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Junction City, California|Junction City]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 955 || 96.1% || 3.4% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.5% || 5.1%
|-
| [[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,391 || 89.1% || 6.8% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 4.1% || 5.6%
|-
| [[Mad River, California|Mad River]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 391 || 90.8% || 2.3% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 6.9% || 1.8%
|-
| [[Ruth, California|Ruth]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 144 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 173 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Trinity Village, California|Trinity Village]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 163 || 100.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0% || 0.0%
|-
| [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,703 || 92.1% || 6.3% || 0.0% || 0.5% || 1.1% || 11.4%
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan=6 | Places by population and income
|-
! Place
! Type<ref name="US-CB"/>
! Population<ref name="US-CB-B01003">U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.</ref>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Per capita income<ref name="US-CB-B19301"/>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Median household income<ref name="US-CB-B19013"/>
! data-sort-type="currency" | Median family income<ref name="US-CB-B19113"/>
|-
| [[Burnt Ranch, California|Burnt Ranch]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 293 || $35,310 || $28,929 || $52,188
|-
| [[Coffee Creek, California|Coffee Creek]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 219 || $27,940 || $55,714 || $36,607
|-
| [[Douglas City, California|Douglas City]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 647 || $32,114 || $41,042 || $51,667
|-
| [[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 2,300|| $18,017 || $37,333 || $52,976
|-
| [[Hyampom, California|Hyampom]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 250 || $13,598 || $25,729 || $27,000
|-
| [[Junction City, California|Junction City]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 955 || $17,128 || $36,250 || $41,250
|-
| [[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 1,391 || $23,990 || $44,375 || $50,250
|-
| [[Mad River, California|Mad River]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 391 || $13,773 || $23,813 || $52,589
|-
| [[Ruth, California|Ruth]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 144 || $24,099 || $51,250 || $73,000
|-
| [[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 173 || $24,619 || $26,563 || $28,125
|-
| [[Trinity Village, California|Trinity Village]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 163 || $15,528 || $23,315 || $23,438
|-
| [[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]] || [[Census-designated place|CDP]] || 3,703 || $24,714 || $42,337 || $47,135
|}

===2010===
The [[2010 United States Census]] reported that Trinity County had a population of 13,786. The racial makeup of Trinity County was 12,033 (87.3%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 59 (0.4%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 655 (4.8%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 94 (0.7%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 16 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 217 (1.6%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 712 (5.2%) from two or more races.  [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 959 persons (7.0%).<ref>{{USCensus2010CA}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible collapsible collapsed"
|-
!colspan=10|Population reported at [[2010 United States Census]]
|-
|{{center|'''The County'''}} ||{{center|'''Total<br/>Population'''}}||{{center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]'''}} ||{{center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br/>Islander]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br/>races]]'''}} || {{center|'''two or<br/>more races'''}} ||{{center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br/>or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br/>(of any race)'''}}
|-
|''' Trinity County'''
|align="right"|13,786||align="right"|12,033||align="right"|59||align="right"|655||align="right"|94||align="right"|16||align="right"|217||align="right"|712||align="right"|959
|-
|{{center|'''[[Census-designated place|Census-designated<br/>places]]'''}} ||{{center|'''Total<br/>Population'''}}||{{center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]'''}} ||{{center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br/>Islander]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br/>races]]'''}} || {{center|'''two or<br/>more races'''}} ||{{center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br/>or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br/>(of any race)'''}}
|-
|'''[[Burnt Ranch, California|Burnt Ranch]]'''
|align="right"|281||align="right"|241||align="right"|0||align="right"|15||align="right"|4||align="right"|0||align="right"|1||align="right"|20||align="right"|19
|-
|'''[[Coffee Creek, California|Coffee Creek]]'''
|align="right"|217||align="right"|198||align="right"|0||align="right"|5||align="right"|5||align="right"|0||align="right"|3||align="right"|6||align="right"|16
|-
|'''[[Douglas City, California|Douglas City]]'''
|align="right"|713||align="right"|639||align="right"|0||align="right"|22||align="right"|8||align="right"|2||align="right"|13||align="right"|29||align="right"|47
|-
|'''[[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]]'''
|align="right"|2,368||align="right"|1,999||align="right"|4||align="right"|162||align="right"|8||align="right"|2||align="right"|38||align="right"|155||align="right"|189
|-
|'''[[Hyampom, California|Hyampom]]'''
|align="right"|241||align="right"|199||align="right"|0||align="right"|20||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|7||align="right"|15||align="right"|19
|-
|'''[[Junction City, California|Junction City]]'''
|align="right"|680||align="right"|597||align="right"|1||align="right"|29||align="right"|2||align="right"|0||align="right"|20||align="right"|31||align="right"|49
|-
|'''[[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]]'''
|align="right"|1,193||align="right"|1,074||align="right"|8||align="right"|37||align="right"|6||align="right"|5||align="right"|21||align="right"|42||align="right"|78
|-
|'''[[Mad River, California|Mad River]]'''
|align="right"|420||align="right"|383||align="right"|1||align="right"|11||align="right"|1||align="right"|0||align="right"|7||align="right"|17||align="right"|21
|-
|'''[[Ruth, California|Ruth]]'''
|align="right"|195||align="right"|170||align="right"|0||align="right"|9||align="right"|1||align="right"|0||align="right"|1||align="right"|14||align="right"|2
|-
|'''[[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]]'''
|align="right"|267||align="right"|249||align="right"|0||align="right"|7||align="right"|1||align="right"|3||align="right"|2||align="right"|5||align="right"|11
|-
|'''[[Trinity Village, California|Trinity Village]]'''
|align="right"|297||align="right"|269||align="right"|1||align="right"|18||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|0||align="right"|9||align="right"|4
|-
|'''[[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]]'''
|align="right"|3,600||align="right"|3,162||align="right"|11||align="right"|152||align="right"|41||align="right"|1||align="right"|38||align="right"|195||align="right"|255
|-
|{{center|'''Other<br/>[[unincorporated area]]s'''}} ||{{center|'''Total<br/>Population'''}}||{{center|'''[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]'''}} ||{{center|'''[[African American (U.S. Census)|African<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native<br/>American]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific<br/>Islander]]'''}} || {{center|'''[[Race (United States Census)|other<br/>races]]'''}} || {{center|'''two or<br/>more races'''}} ||{{center|'''[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]<br/>or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]<br/>(of any race)'''}}
|-
|All others not CDPs (combined)
|align="right"|3,314||align="right"|2,853||align="right"|33||align="right"|168||align="right"|17||align="right"|3||align="right"|66||align="right"|174||align="right"|249
|}

===2000===
{{US Census population
| 1850 = 1635
| 1860 = 5125
| 1870 = 3213
| 1880 = 4999
| 1890 = 3719
| 1900 = 4383
| 1910 = 3301
| 1920 = 2551
| 1930 = 2809
| 1940 = 3970
| 1950 = 5087
| 1960 = 9706
| 1970 = 7615
| 1980 = 11858
| 1990 = 13063
| 2000 = 13022
| 2010 = 13786
| 2020 = 16112
|estyear=2024
|estimate=15642
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 10, 2025}}</ref>
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ca190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 31, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="UsCensus2020" />
}}

{{update|section|reason=Newer information is available from the 2010 and 2020 Census reports|date=December 2021}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 13,022 people, 5,587 households, and 3,625 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 7,980 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 88.9% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.5% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 4.9% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.5% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.9% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.4% from two or more races. 4.0% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 16.1% were of [[German people|German]], 13.4% [[English people|English]], 12.1% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 9.5% [[United States|American]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 97.3% spoke [[English language|English]] and 1.8% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] as their first language.

There were 5,587 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,711, and the median income for a family was $34,343. Males had a median income of $31,131 versus $24,271 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,868. About 14.1% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
*[[Burnt Ranch, California|Burnt Ranch]] is a small, rural community on Highway 299 in the Downriver area of the county. It lies above Burnt Ranch Gorge, a famed whitewater stretch of the Trinity River. The area around it is steep and forested, but there are many agricultural flats in the community proper. There is a volunteer fire department and an elementary school. The name comes from a settler's ranch that was burned by Native Americans.
*[[Coffee Creek, California|Coffee Creek]] is a small resort community on Highway 3 north of Trinity Lake. It sits where Coffee Creek meets the Trinity River. The community takes most of its economy from tourism, since it serves as the base camp for a popular trailhead into the Trinity Alps Wilderness. There are several guest ranches and resorts surrounding the community as well. It is home to a store, a pizza place, a campground and RV park, a church, and a fire department, as well as many guest accommodations in the surrounding area. 
*[[Douglas City, California|Douglas City]] is a medium-sized community centered on Highway 299 and the Trinity River south of Weaverville. The homes are clustered around the river, although there are many elsewhere. The businesses in the town include a store, a fire department, and an elementary school. There are resorts and guest accommodations scattered along the river throughout the area. 
*[[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]] is the second largest community in the county. It lies in the Hayfork Valley, the largest agricultural region in the county, and derives a significant part of the economy from ranching. It used to be a mill town as well and a gold rush town until the closing of the Sierra Pacific mill and a slow decline in mining in the 1990s due to reduced timber stocks, consolidation, and environmental regulations. Businesses include an elementary and high school, fire department, multiple grocery stores and bars, as well as a gas station and tire shop.
*[[Hyampom, California|Hyampom]] is the only CDP along the South Fork Trinity River. It lies in the Hyampom Valley, one of the largest agricultural areas in the county, and one of the main economic drivers is vineyards. It sits at the foot of South Fork Mountain at the confluence of Hayfork Creek and the South Fork. The South Fork is one of the largest undammed watersheds in California, and provides critical habitat for salmon and steelhead, although the populations have suffered in recent years due to environmental issues.
*[[Junction City, California|Junction City]] is the most populous and uppermost community in the Downriver area. It is marked by a large flat along the Trinity River covered in gravel from gold mining in the 19th century. It is located where Canyon Creek meets the river, and 15 miles up the creek lies the Canyon Creek Trailhead, the most popular trailhead into the Trinity Alps. The community's institutions consist of an elementary school, a store, a cafe, and a fire department. 
*Kettenpom California is a fairly large community located 10 miles southwest of Ruth. It is densely forested with some open terrain. 
*[[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]] is the third-largest community in the county. Prior to the Trinity River Project that built Trinity and Lewiston Dams, Lewiston was a small country crossroads, but during construction, a large community was built to house the workers and it stands to this day as the center of Trinity River recreation, including fly fishing, swimming, boating, and rafting. 
*[[Mad River, California|Mad River]] is one of two larger communities in the county not in the Trinity River watershed, the other being Ruth. It lies along the Mad River where Highway 36 crosses it. Unlike the north part of the county, Mad River is surrounded by rolling hills and mixed oak woodlands and Douglas fir forests. The businesses in the community include a church, a fire department, an elementary school, and a high school, one of three in the county. 
*[[Post Mountain, California|Post Mountain]] is on the north side of Highway 36, mainly in the valley of Post Creek. It was defined as a CDP for the 2020 census. It is also known as Trinity Pines.
*[[Ruth, California|Ruth]] is the second community outside of the Trinity River basin, and one of the smallest in the county. It lies in the Ruth Valley south of Ruth Lake. The economy centers on Ruth Lake and the tourism attracted by it. Businesses include a church, a cafe, and many resorts and campgrounds.
*[[Salyer, California|Salyer]] is on the western edge of Trinity County, along the Trinity River where it is joined by the South Fork. It was defined as a CDP for the 2020 census.
*[[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]] is the largest community on Trinity Lake, which brings in tourism and sustains the economy of the town. It used to lie at the bottom of a valley that was flooded by Trinity Lake in the 1950s, when it was moved to its current location along with several historic buildings. It is home to the busiest airport in the county. 
*[[Trinity Village, California|Trinity Village]] locally known as Hawkins Bar, is a community in the Downriver area. The only non-accommodation business is a bar and grill. Its economy is based on recreation on the Trinity River.  
*[[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]] is the county seat and by far the largest community in the county. It is nestled along Weaver Creek in the Weaver Basin along Highway 299. It got its beginnings as a Gold Rush town, and there are still many historic buildings, including several of the oldest brick buildings in the state and the oldest county courthouse. There was a thriving Chinese community at the height of the Gold Rush, and a state park today houses the oldest Taoist temple in the state, the Joss House.
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}

*[[Big Bar, Trinity County, California|Big Bar]]
*[[Del Loma, California|Del Loma]]
*[[Denny, California|Denny]]
*[[Forest Glen, California|Forest Glen]]
*[[Hawkins Bar, California|Hawkins Bar]]
*[[Peanut, California|Peanut]]
*[[Zenia, California|Zenia]]
{{div col end}}

=== Former cities/towns/communities  ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!City
!Year 
incorporated
!Year 
dissolved
!Fate
|-
|[[Helena, California]]
|1851
|1950s
|Became private property

|-
|[[Canon City, California]]
|1851
|1891
|Nothing remains of the former town but a historical marker.

|-
|[[Dedrick, California]]
|1890
|1941
|Nothing remains of the former town but a historical marker.

|-
|[[Deadwood, Trinity County, California]]
| 1881
| 1915
|Nothing remains of the former town.

|}

==Education==
K-12 school districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06105_trinity/DC20SD_C06105.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Trinity County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 25, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06105_trinity/DC20SD_C06105_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

Unified:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District]]
* [[Mountain Valley Unified School District]]
* [[Southern Trinity Joint Unified School District]]
* [[Trinity Alps Unified School District]] - Serves some areas for PK-12 and others only for grades 9-12
{{div col end}}

Elementary:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Burnt Ranch Elementary School District]]
* [[Coffee Creek Elementary School District]]
* [[Douglas City Elementary School District]]
* [[Junction City Elementary School District]]
* [[Lewiston Elementary School District]]
* [[Trinity Center Elementary School District]]
{{div col end}}

==Population ranking==

The population ranking of the following table is based on the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] of Trinity County.

'''†''' ''county seat''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2020 Census)

|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 1
|'''†''' '''[[Weaverville, California|Weaverville]]''' 
| CDP
| 3,667
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 2
|'''[[Post Mountain, California|Post Mountain]]''' 
| CDP
| 3,032
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 3
|'''[[Hayfork, California|Hayfork]]''' 
| CDP
| 2,324
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 4
|'''[[Lewiston, California|Lewiston]]''' 
| CDP
| 1,222
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 5
|'''[[Douglas City, California|Douglas City]]''' 
| CDP
| 868
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 6
|'''[[Junction City, California|Junction City]]''' 
| CDP
| 658
|- style="background:#ff9;"
| 7
|'''[[Round Valley Indian Tribes of the Round Valley Reservation|Round Valley Reservation]]'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/all?q=Round%20Valley%20Reservation%20and%20Off-Reservation%20Trust%20Land,%20CA%3B%20California|title=U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census|first=Website Services & Coordination|last=Staff|website=www.census.gov}}</ref> (''partially in [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]]'')
| [[AIAN (U.S. Census)|AIAN]]
| 454
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 8
|'''[[Salyer, California|Salyer]]''' 
| CDP
| 389
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 9
|'''[[Mad River, California|Mad River]]''' 
| CDP
| 361
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 10
|'''[[Trinity Village, California|Trinity Village]]''' 
| CDP
| 278
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 11
|'''[[Ruth, California|Ruth]]''' 
| CDP
| 254
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 12
|'''[[Burnt Ranch, California|Burnt Ranch]]''' 
| CDP
| 250
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 13
|'''[[Hyampom, California|Hyampom]]''' 
| CDP
| 241
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 14
|'''[[Trinity Center, California|Trinity Center]]''' 
| CDP
| 198
|- style="background:honeyDew;"
| 15
|'''[[Coffee Creek, California|Coffee Creek]]''' 
| CDP
| 152
|}

== See also ==
* [http://wikispot.org/?action=gotowikipage&v=mendocino:Hiking Hiking trails in Trinity County]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Trinity County, California]]
*[[Trinity Lakes AVA|Trinity Lakes American Viticultural Area]]
*[[Willow Creek AVA|Willow Creek American Viticultural Area]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=y}}
*{{Official website}}
*[http://www.VisitTrinity.com VisitTrinity: Visitors Bureau]
*[http://www.trinitycounty.com Trinity County Chamber Of Commerce]
*[https://dannyammon.wixsite.com/website Tsnungwe Official Website]
*[https://exposetrinitycounty.com Expose Trinity County]

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Trinity County, California
| North     = [[Siskiyou County, California|Siskiyou County]]
| Northeast =
| East      = [[Shasta County, California|Shasta County]]
| Southeast = [[Tehama County, California|Tehama County]]
| South     = [[Mendocino County, California|Mendocino County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Humboldt County, California|Humboldt County]]
| Northwest =
}} 
{{Trinity County, California}}
{{North Coast (California)}}
{{California}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|40.66|-123.12|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Trinity County, California| ]]
[[Category:California counties]]
[[Category:Shasta Cascade]]
[[Category:1850 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1850]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]