There are several legends to how the town of Modoc got its name. One of them said that a man travelling on the train threw out a cigar box containing the name Modoc, and that Henry Conley, one of the first settlers of the town, picked it up and suggested to bystanders that it would be a good name for the town. Another theory is that Modoc was named after the Modoc people who were traditionally located in northern California. They became noted for their resistance to the US Army during the Modoc War, ending in 1873. A post office has been in operation at Modoc since 1883.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 196 people, 72 households, and 50 families residing in the town. The population density was. There were 87 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the town was 94.9% White, 0.5% African American, 2.0% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population. There were 72 households of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couplesliving together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. 23.6% 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 2.72 and the average family size was 3.22. The median age in the town was 33 years. 30.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 21.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 54.1% male and 45.9% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 225 people, 84 households, and 63 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,908.1 people per square mile. There were 90 housing units at an average density of 763.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 96.00% White, 1.33% African American, 0.44% Pacific Islander, and 2.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population. There were 84 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.06. In the town, the population was spread out with 28.9% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $28,333, and the median income for a family was $32,708. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,230. About 12.3% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under the age of eighteen and 21.9% of those sixty five or over.
Modoc, like many other small towns, probably would not have been built if the I. B. & W. Railroad had not made its way across southern Randolph County, in 1878. The location was poorly drained, but it had the advantage of being rather flat. It was plagued, for many years, by typhoid fever outbreaks. The railroad was built by many contractors. The railroad came through Modoc from the west, and met the contractors, who were building the next section east, in what was then a strip of timber about one-half mile east of where the depot was located.
