City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Eureka, CA

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

26,302
Residents
$60,253
Median income
$375,800
Median home
$1,550
Median rent (state)

Eureka - the verdict

Eureka ranks in the 36th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
75th
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
7th
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: Eureka, CA

26,302 people live in Eureka, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $60,253 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.8%. Typical homes in Eureka are valued around $375,800, and the median resident age is 38.9 years. 31.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 46 residential building permits were authorized in Eureka (Building Boom), up 1050% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Eureka's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4186.8 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,550 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

26,302 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$60,253 /yr

Poverty 8.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Eureka compare to other US cities?

Here's how Eureka stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 75% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Eureka ranks #414 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

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 Eureka'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.

36thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Eureka's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Eureka'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 25 Avg. percentile National median
Eureka'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 Eureka's home value compares nationally

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

$375,800 25th percentile more affordable than 25% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. Eureka $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 - Eureka, CA Eureka, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Eureka, 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 Eureka, CA median $60,253/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%
Eureka, 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 Eureka, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.1%

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

Population
26,302
Median Income
$60,253
Median Home Value
$375,800
Median Age
38.9
Poverty Rate
8.8%
Labor force participation
57.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4186.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1016.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3170.5
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
23
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
25,000 residents25,500 residents26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 26,471 residents 25,304 residents ▼ -4.4%
Eureka's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
46
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
27
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 31
2021 26
2022 69
2023 19
2024 46

Permit volume increased 1050% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.0%
Carpool
14.1%
Public Transit
1.2%
Walk
5.5%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
2.2%

Based on 12,512 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 Eureka 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

South Pasadena
26,297 people
Hercules
26,245 people
Wasco
26,222 people
Windsor
26,179 people
Sanger
26,515 people
North Tustin
26,038 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Eureka's 26,302 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Leland, NC
26,307 people
Woodstock, IL
26,316 people
South Salt Lake, UT
26,277 people
Holbrook, NY
26,256 people
Elmira, NY
26,349 people
Plainview, NY
26,251 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Eureka's $60,253 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Empire, GA
$60,250 median income
New Troy, MI
$60,250 median income
Tarkio, MO
$60,250 median income
Whiteman AFB, MO
$60,250 median income
Depauville, NY
$60,250 median income
Hobgood, NC
$60,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Eureka, 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 Eureka, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 70.3% 6.3% 12.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.2% White 70.3% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 5.7% American Indian 1.7% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 6.3% Two or more races 12.9% 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 Eureka 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
Eureka (this city) 26,302 $60,253
South Pasadena 26,297 $128,105
Hercules 26,245 $130,583
Wasco 26,222 $55,521
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Eureka, CA?

What is the population of Eureka, CA? +

Eureka, CA has a population of 26,302 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Eureka is $60,253 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Eureka? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Eureka; 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 Eureka, CA safe? +

Eureka has a total crime rate of 4186.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Eureka, CA? +

Eureka's median home value sits at $375,800, 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.