City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Arcata, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Arcata - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,578
Residents
$48,731
Median income
$466,600
Median home
$1,550
Median rent (state)

Arcata - the verdict

Arcata ranks in the 18th percentile for household income and the 26th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

18th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
26th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Arcata, CA

California's Arcata is a small town, with 18,578 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $48,731 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.5%. Typical homes in Arcata are valued around $466,600, and the median resident age is 28.0 years. About 45.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 29 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Growing), up 7% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2271.5 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,550 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 15.8 minutes, with 59.2% driving alone and 13.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

18,578 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$48,731 /yr

Poverty 15.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Arcata compare to other US cities?

Where Arcata sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 26% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Arcata ranks #285 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Arcata's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

18thIncome percentile
26thSafety percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income · 26th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Arcata's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Arcata's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 24 Avg. percentile National median
Arcata's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Arcata's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$466,600 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Arcata $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Arcata, CA Arcata, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Arcata, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Arcata, CA median $48,731/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Arcata, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Arcata, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,578
Median Income
$48,731
Median Home Value
$466,600
Median Age
28.0
Poverty Rate
15.5%
Labor force participation
56.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2271.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
507.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1763.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,500 residents18,000 residents18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,838 residents 19,047 residents ▲ +1.1%
Arcata's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
29
housing units authorized
Single-Family
18
detached homes
Multifamily
11
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 27
2020 65
2021 54
2022 28
2023 148
2024 29

Permit volume increased 7% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.8 minutes
Drive Alone
59.2%
Carpool
9.7%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
12.8%
Work from Home
13.4%
Other
3.5%

Based on 9,017 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Arcata sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,550/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Coronado
18,558 people
Castaic
18,479 people
Arroyo Grande
18,412 people
Pinole
18,835 people
Chowchilla
18,876 people
Olivehurst
19,071 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Arcata's 18,578 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bensenville, IL
18,576 people
Round Lake, IL
18,588 people
Ocean Springs, MS
18,561 people
Preakness, NJ
18,538 people
Westerly, RI
18,528 people
Creve Coeur, MO
18,643 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Arcata's $48,731 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rock Falls, IL
$48,733 median income
Muskogee, OK
$48,735 median income
Walton, NE
$48,725 median income
Montpelier, OH
$48,720 median income
Buckhannon, WV
$48,720 median income
Lakeview, AL
$48,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Arcata, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Arcata, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.9% 7.0% 12.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.4% White 73.9% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 2.2% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 7.0% Two or more races 12.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Arcata compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Arcata (this city) 18,578 $48,731
Coronado 18,558 $135,056
Castaic 18,479 $132,153
Arroyo Grande 18,412 $103,258
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Arcata, CA?

What is the population of Arcata, CA? +

Arcata, CA has a population of 18,578 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Arcata, CA? +

Median annual household income in Arcata runs $48,731, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Arcata? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Arcata; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Arcata, CA safe? +

Arcata has a total crime rate of 2271.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Arcata, CA? +

The median home value in Arcata is $466,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.