Cohasset, California

Cohasset (formerly known as Keefers Ridge and North Point)^[1] is a census-designated place^[2] in Butte County, California, United States, approximately 17.7 miles (28.5 km) north-northeast of Chico. The name derives from the Algonquian Indian language and means "long rocky place",^[3] as in Massachusetts. The population was 830 at the 2020 census.

The town is a mountain community at 2,828 feet (862 m) above mean sea level. It sits on Cohasset Ridge: an eleven-mile (18 km) ridge running roughly southwest-to-northeast. The U.S. Geological Survey feature ID is 1655909 and NAD27 coordinates for the community are 39°55′32″N 121°43′48″W. The ZIP Code for the community is 95973, which is shared with about seven other nearby towns, and the area code 530.

In late July 2024, the town of Cohasset was significantly impacted and partially destroyed by the Park Fire with no recorded fatalities.^[4] The town has since been repopulated.

The primary airport is the Chico Municipal Airport.

History

In the mid-19th century the local lumber and farming operations began, prior to which the Maidu inhabited the area for many generations. By the early 20th century, Cohasset was famous for its high quality apples. Today, they are better known for peaceful country living, the Annual Cohasset Bazaar, and the beauty of the Cohasset Ridge. A post office operated at Cohasset from 1888 to 1920.^[5] The early lumbermen designated the ridge after the pineries. A school district was formed July 16, 1878 to provide a place of learning for the children of the growing number of pioneer families and was given the name of North Point District. The entire ridge came to be known by the name of North Point. In 1887, the ridge residents requested the United States Government to establish a post office there, to be named North Point. The Post Office Department concurred in the need of a postal facility but balked at the requested name. There were already too many stations in the country with either North or Point in their names so it was requested that another name be selected. For a name selecting committee two young ladies of the ridge, Miss Marie Wilson and Miss Electa Welch (the school teacher) were appointed and they chose the name Cohasset, meaning "City of Pines" in the Algonquin Indian language. There was a precedent for this in Cohasset, Massachusetts, a charming resort town of pines and rocks located on the seacoast southeast of Boston. The new name was satisfactory and the first Cohasset, California post office was established February 20, 1888.^[6]

Demographics

Cohasset first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.^[7]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Cohasset had a population of 830. The population density was 33.1 inhabitants per square mile (12.8 /km²). The age distribution was 17.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% aged 18 to 24, 20.4% aged 25 to 44, 29.5% aged 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.3 years. For every 100 females there were 115.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 117.1 males age 18 and over.^[8][9]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[10]

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized. There were 368 households, of which 18.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.8% were married-couple households, 6.0% were cohabiting couple households, 29.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 17.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 220 families (59.8% of all households).^[8]

There were 427 housing units at an average density of 17.0 /mi2, of which 13.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.8%. Of occupied units, 85.3% were owner-occupied and 14.7% were occupied by renters.^[8]

Government

State

The citizens of Cohasset, as constituents of California's 3rd Assembly District, are represented by in the California State Assembly,^[11] and as members of California's 1st Senate District, are represented by in the California State Senate.^[12]

Federal

Cohasset is in .^[13]

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Cohasset has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.^[14]

Education

Cohasset is served by the Chico Unified School District.^[15]

References

1. ^
2. ^
3. ^ Cohasset, California @ Chico Unified School District website as retrieved December 30, 2006. Archived June 21, 2006 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ "Park Fire┃CAL FIRE". At the time of access, the burn area covers all of Cohasset while the Park Fire has no attributed fatalities.. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
5. ^
6. ^ Nathan, Elroy 1966 Historical Geography of Cohasset Ridge. master’s thesis, California State University Chico. Accessed September 23, 2015 from: http://cohassetcommunity.org/index.php?pg=history Archived 2015-08-14 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California". United States Census Bureau
8. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
9. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
10. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
11. ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
12. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
13. ^ Retrieved August 7, 2025.
14. ^ Climate Summary for Cohasset, California
15. ^ Geography Division. 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butte County, CA. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2025-05-31. - Text list

• US Geological Survey, National Geographic Names Database.
• Map: Cohasset, California, 7.5 minute quadrangle, 1995, US Geological Survey.
• US Census Bureau, 2000 census statistical area records.