Paynes Creek is a census-designated place in Tehama County, California. It is 23 miles east of Red Bluff. Its ZIP code is 96075 and telephone prefixes follow, which is shared with the town of Dales, about 9 miles to the west. Paynes Creek sits at an elevation of 1,949 feet. The 2010 United States census reported Paynes Creek's population was 57. In late July 2024, the town of Paynes Creek was significantly impacted and partially destroyed by the Park Fire with no recorded fatalities.