Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of California would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Golden State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in California with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
74.8% Republican vote · #1 most conservative in California
Located in
Lassen County, California
Susanville is the county seat of Lassen County, California, United States. Susanville is located on the Susan River in the southern part of the county, at an elevation of 4,186 feet. The population was 17,974 in the 2010 census, up from 13,541 in the 2000 census. Much of the population increase is related to persons held at two state prisons in the city.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
66.6% Republican vote · #2 most conservative in California
Located in
Tehama County, California
Red Bluff is a city in and the county seat, of Tehama County, California, United States. The population was 14,076 at the 2010 census, up from 13,147 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
66.6% Republican vote · #2 most conservative in California
Located in
Tehama County, California
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
65.4% Republican vote · #5 most conservative in California
Located in
Shasta County, California
Redding, officially the City of Redding, is the county seat of Shasta County, California, in the northern part of the state. It lies along the Sacramento River, is 162 miles north of Sacramento, and 120 miles south of the Oregon border. Interstate 5 bisects the entire city, from the south to north before it approaches Shasta Lake, which is located 15 miles to the north. The 2010 population was 89,861. Redding is the largest city in the Shasta Cascade region, and it is the fourth-largest city in the Sacramento Valley, behind Sacramento, Elk Grove, and Roseville.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
65.4% Republican vote · #5 most conservative in California
Located in
Shasta County, California
The City of Shasta Lake is a city in Shasta County, California, United States. It is the closest settlement to Shasta Dam and Shasta Lake reservoir, which are popular tourist destinations. The population was 10,164 at the 2010 census, up from 9,008 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
65.4% Republican vote · #5 most conservative in California
Located in
Shasta County, California
Anderson is a city in Shasta County, California, USA, approximately 10 miles south of Redding. The population was 9,932 at the 2010 census, up from 9,022 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
62.5% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in California
Located in
Glenn County, California
Willows is a city in and the county seat of Glenn County, California. The city is a home to regional government offices, including the California Highway Patrol, California Department of Motor Vehicles, the United States Bureau of Reclamation and the main offices of the Mendocino National Forest, which comprises about one million acres of Federal land located mostly in mountainous terrain west of Willows. The population was 6,166 at the 2010 census, down from 6,220 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
62.5% Republican vote · #8 most conservative in California
Located in
Glenn County, California
Orland is a city in Glenn County, California. The population was 7,291 at the 2010 census, up from 6,281 at the 2000 census, making Orland the most populous city in Glenn County. Orland is located 16 miles north of Willows, at an elevation of 259 feet. Interstate 5, passes west of the downtown area while State Route 32 passes through downtown.`
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
60.9% Republican vote · #10 most conservative in California
Located in
Amador County, California
Ione is a city in Amador County, California, United States. The population was 7,918 at the 2010 census, up from 7,129 in 2000. Once known as “Bed-Bug” and “Freeze Out,” Ione was an important supply center on the main road to the Mother Lode and Southern Mines during the California Gold Rush.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
60.9% Republican vote · #10 most conservative in California
Data | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is California’s statewide median.
On the map
Mapping the conservative strongholds in California
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most conservative cities in California for 2026
To find the most conservative places in California, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in California over 5,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 428 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 428 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Susanville, is “The Most Conservative City in California For 2026”. The most liberal place in California was San Francisco.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most conservative places to live in California.
The full plate
Most Conservative Places In California
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Conservative Score | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Susanville | 1.00 | 14,177 | 74.8% |
| 2 | Red Bluff | 2.50 | 14,549 | 66.6% |
| 2 | Corning | 2.50 | 8,155 | 66.6% |
| 5 | Redding | 5.00 | 93,409 | 65.4% |
| 5 | Shasta Lake | 5.00 | 10,311 | 65.4% |
| 5 | Anderson | 5.00 | 11,255 | 65.4% |
| 7 | Willows | 7.50 | 6,190 | 62.5% |
| 7 | Orland | 7.50 | 8,357 | 62.5% |
| 9 | Ione | 9.50 | 9,156 | 60.9% |
| 9 | Jackson | 9.50 | 5,048 | 60.9% |
| 11 | Marysville | 11.00 | 12,726 | 59.3% |
| 12 | Colusa | 12.50 | 6,505 | 57.3% |
| 12 | Williams | 12.50 | 5,585 | 57.3% |
| 14 | Live Oak | 14.50 | 9,347 | 57.2% |
| 14 | Yuba City | 14.50 | 69,471 | 57.2% |
| 16 | Yreka | 16.00 | 7,820 | 56.6% |
| 17 | Crescent City | 17.00 | 6,046 | 56.4% |
| 19 | Lemoore | 19.50 | 27,102 | 54.9% |
| 19 | Corcoran | 19.50 | 22,491 | 54.9% |
| 19 | Avenal | 19.50 | 13,608 | 54.9% |
| 19 | Hanford | 19.50 | 59,754 | 54.9% |
| 22 | Chowchilla | 22.50 | 19,020 | 54.7% |
| 22 | Madera | 22.50 | 67,831 | 54.7% |
| 28 | Tehachapi | 28.50 | 11,946 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Shafter | 28.50 | 21,193 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Arvin | 28.50 | 19,539 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Wasco | 28.50 | 26,558 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Taft | 28.50 | 7,125 | 53.9% |
| 28 | McFarland | 28.50 | 14,222 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Ridgecrest | 28.50 | 28,225 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Delano | 28.50 | 51,679 | 53.9% |
| 28 | California City | 28.50 | 14,414 | 53.9% |
| 28 | Bakersfield | 28.50 | 411,986 | 53.9% |
| 34 | Placerville | 34.50 | 10,762 | 53.2% |
| 34 | South Lake Tahoe | 34.50 | 21,269 | 53.2% |
| 39 | Farmersville | 39.50 | 10,397 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Exeter | 39.50 | 10,258 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Tulare | 39.50 | 70,945 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Visalia | 39.50 | 143,939 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Dinuba | 39.50 | 25,475 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Porterville | 39.50 | 63,157 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Woodlake | 39.50 | 7,702 | 52.8% |
| 39 | Lindsay | 39.50 | 12,643 | 52.8% |
| 46 | Auburn | 46.00 | 13,768 | 52.1% |
| 46 | Loomis | 46.00 | 6,853 | 52.1% |
| 46 | Rocklin | 46.00 | 73,327 | 52.1% |
| 46 | Roseville | 46.00 | 155,955 | 52.1% |
| 46 | Lincoln | 46.00 | 52,956 | 52.1% |
| 53 | Riverbank | 53.00 | 25,166 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Hughson | 53.00 | 7,648 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Oakdale | 53.00 | 23,194 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Newman | 53.00 | 12,316 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Modesto | 53.00 | 219,215 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Waterford | 53.00 | 9,204 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Patterson | 53.00 | 24,693 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Ceres | 53.00 | 49,342 | 48.4% |
| 53 | Turlock | 53.00 | 72,502 | 48.4% |
| 59 | Oroville | 59.50 | 19,752 | 47.7% |
| 59 | Gridley | 59.50 | 7,330 | 47.7% |
| 59 | Paradise | 59.50 | 7,392 | 47.7% |
| 59 | Chico | 59.50 | 102,188 | 47.7% |
| 62 | Lakeport | 62.50 | 5,113 | 45.5% |
| 62 | Clearlake | 62.50 | 16,659 | 45.5% |
| 70 | Kingsburg | 70.50 | 12,755 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Fresno | 70.50 | 545,970 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Huron | 70.50 | 6,519 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Fowler | 70.50 | 7,094 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Orange Cove | 70.50 | 9,695 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Clovis | 70.50 | 124,725 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Sanger | 70.50 | 26,699 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Reedley | 70.50 | 25,609 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Coalinga | 70.50 | 17,203 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Firebaugh | 70.50 | 8,392 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Parlier | 70.50 | 14,507 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Mendota | 70.50 | 12,577 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Selma | 70.50 | 24,659 | 45.1% |
| 70 | Kerman | 70.50 | 16,815 | 45.1% |
| 91 | Cathedral City | 91.00 | 52,267 | 45.0% |
| 91 | La Quinta | 91.00 | 38,707 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Palm Desert | 91.00 | 51,990 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Rancho Mirage | 91.00 | 17,563 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Hemet | 91.00 | 91,326 | 45.0% |
| 91 | San Jacinto | 91.00 | 55,180 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Riverside | 91.00 | 319,069 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Menifee | 91.00 | 110,305 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Lake Elsinore | 91.00 | 72,461 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Wildomar | 91.00 | 37,277 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Banning | 91.00 | 31,093 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Canyon Lake | 91.00 | 11,119 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Beaumont | 91.00 | 56,266 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Eastvale | 91.00 | 70,633 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Temecula | 91.00 | 111,167 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Indio | 91.00 | 91,950 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Moreno Valley | 91.00 | 211,666 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Jurupa Valley | 91.00 | 107,011 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Desert Hot Springs | 91.00 | 33,200 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Calimesa | 91.00 | 10,902 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Coachella | 91.00 | 43,307 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Palm Springs | 91.00 | 45,070 | 45.0% |
| 91 | Murrieta | 91.00 | 112,064 | 45.0% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 428 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in California
Well, there you have it, the places in California that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Susanville ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in California are Susanville, Red Bluff, Corning, Redding, Shasta Lake, Anderson, Willows, Orland, Ione, and Jackson.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in California. Not sold on California? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
