Dream of being a mayor? An entire Northern CA town's up for sale for $4.75 million

Camila Pedrosa, The Sacramento Bee on Sep 25, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Looking for more space than a Sacramento-area house can provide? Consider purchasing a small town in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The town of Belden — roughly 36 miles northeast of Chico in the Plumas National Forest — is up for sale by its current owner for a modest $4.75 million.

Ivan Coffman, the town’s owner, purchased Belden in 1989 and has unofficially led the unincorporated town ever since, according to SFGate. Now, nearly 40 years later, Coffman is handing the keys to the town’s next leader.

History of Belden

Belden was built upon a tributary of the Feather River in the early 1900s, as the Western Pacific Railroad laid its tracks across Northern California.

According to the Plumas County website, it became a “thriving township” with fishing and hunting because of its train station. Prior to that, some homesteading farmers, gold miners and a Maidu community resided on the land.

Coffman came across the township by chance while looking for gold along the Feather River in 1970, according to SFGate. Then a mason, he decided to stay and try his luck as many others did in the mid-1800s.

Over the next 20 years, Belden fell into disrepair following a fire. It was saved from falling into obscurity when Coffman purchased the town and injected new life into it, SFGate reported.

What you can get Belden for $4.75 million

Today, the 4-acre riverfront destination is home to roughly 15 residents and welcomes numerous music festival goers and Pacific Crest Trail hikers annually. Belden can be accessed by a single road — a bridge from Feather River Highway beckoning visitors with a large sign featuring a lit-up martini glass.

According to a website set up to advertise the town’s sale, beldentownforsale.com, Belden has 18 hotel rooms, 16 RV hook-ups and seven visitor’s cabins available, alongside tent camping spots and a number of outbuildings and storage spaces.

A full-service bar and restaurant — which includes a Type 47 liquor license — a general store and a commercial kitchen are part of the town.

The owner also has their housing covered: A “luxury” owner’s home oversees downtown Belden on one side and the Feather River on the other.

More information on Belden’s established infrastructure is available on its website. According to the Plumas Sun, the town went on sale earlier this summer.

Serious potential buyers may fill out a pre-application on the website, before they can connect with Coffman directly and proceed with the purchase.