City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Ferndale, CA

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

1,525
Residents
$62,090
Median income
$496,000
Median home
$1,550
Median rent (state)

Ferndale - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Ferndale places in the 38th percentile for household income and the 58th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
58th
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: Ferndale, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,525 residents in Ferndale, a small town within California. Ferndale households earn a median of $62,090 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Home values in Ferndale run a median of $496,000, and the median resident age is 58.8 years. Educational attainment runs 26.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 39.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 6 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Ferndale reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1154.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,550 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,525 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$62,090 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Ferndale compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 58% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Ferndale ranks #88 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile 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 Ferndale'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.

38thIncome percentile
58thSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 58th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ferndale's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ferndale'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Ferndale'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 Ferndale's home value compares nationally

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

$496,000 15th percentile more affordable than 15% 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%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ferndale $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 - Ferndale, CA Ferndale, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ferndale, 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 Ferndale, CA median $62,090/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%
Ferndale, 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 Ferndale, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.3%

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

Population
1,525
Median Income
$62,090
Median Home Value
$496,000
Median Age
58.8
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
39.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1154.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
360.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
793.7
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
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,340 residents1,360 residents1,380 residents1,400 residents1,420 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,399 residents 1,348 residents ▼ -3.6%
Ferndale's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
3
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 3
2021 4
2022 5
2023 1
2024 6

Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.9%
Carpool
1.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
14.0%
Other
0.7%

Based on 530 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 Ferndale 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

Los Ranchos
1,521 people
Dunsmuir
1,519 people
Ahwahnee
1,532 people
Lake Sherwood
1,515 people
Cedar Ridge
1,513 people
Del Rey
1,513 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferndale's 1,525 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tome, NM
1,525 people
Tioga, ND
1,525 people
Harristown, IL
1,526 people
Thomson, IL
1,526 people
Mound Bayou, MS
1,526 people
Leadwood, MO
1,524 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ferndale's $62,090 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Central, CO
$62,094 median income
Ferrysburg, MI
$62,096 median income
Nuiqsut, AK
$62,083 median income
Shishmaref, AK
$62,083 median income
Congress, AZ
$62,083 median income
Peoria Heights, IL
$62,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ferndale, 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 Ferndale, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.0% 15.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.1% White 76.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 3.1% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 15.4% 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 Ferndale 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
Ferndale (this city) 1,525 $62,090
Los Ranchos 1,521 $146,667
Dunsmuir 1,519 $47,708
Ahwahnee 1,532 $65,980
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ferndale, CA?

What is the population of Ferndale, CA? +

The population of Ferndale, CA stands at 1,525 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Ferndale is $62,090 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ferndale? +

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

Ferndale has a total crime rate of 1154.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Ferndale, CA? +

A typical home in Ferndale is worth $496,000, 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.