City · California
Ferndale, California
Ferndale, city, in Humboldt County, California. Ferndale had 1,348 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,398 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,552 (±348). GEOID 0623910.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,348
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,398 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,552 ±348
Median household income
$63,142
±$14,048 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$542,000
±$86,118 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,028
±$100 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Ferndale and what county is it in?
Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California. It covers 1.2 square miles of land, 1,159 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ferndale is in the Eureka-Arcata, CA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ferndale, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,348 people lived in Ferndale on July 1, 2025, down 3.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,398 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,552 (±348).
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,552 ±348 | 134,541 | no clear change |
| Households | 757 ±143 | 54,922 | +191 |
| Average household size | 2.05 ±0.26 | 2.37 | −0.38 |
| Housing units | 875 ±139 | 62,883 | no clear change |
Ferndale's population since 2000
From 1,382 in 2000 to 1,348 in 2025: down 2.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ferndale as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Ferndale?
The median resident of Ferndale is 61.2 years old; 7.7% are under 18 and 36.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 77.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.9%.
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.2 ±3.5 | 39.9 | +20.5 |
| Under 18 years | 7.7% ±4.1 pts | 18.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 36.0% ±8.2 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 42.1% ±4.8 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.9% ±8.2 pts | 14.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 77.5% ±9.0 pts | 69.5% | −12.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±3.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.3% ±6.0 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6% ±1.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.4% ±8.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.1% ±5.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| With a disability | 19.5% ±5.8 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.5% ±1.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.9% ±4.1 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.1% ±10.0 pts | 33.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.6% ±3.4 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.8% ±7.1 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±2.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Ferndale earn?
Half of Ferndale's 757 households earn less than $63,142 a year (±$14,048), against $61,160 in Humboldt County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $62,639 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,142 ±$14,048 | $61,160 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $83,799 ±$16,300 | $86,064 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,645 ±$7,792 | $36,080 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.0% ±8.0 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 26.1% ±24.1 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.5% ±7.7 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±4.6 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.7% ±5.3 pts | 90.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Ferndale?
Owners occupy 60.6% of Ferndale's occupied homes and renters 39.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $542,000 by its owner (±$86,118). The median renter pays $1,028 a month including utilities, and 36.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $542,000 ±$86,118 | $446,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,028 ±$100 | $1,287 | −$363 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.5% ±20.8 pts | 53.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,989 ±$676 | $2,147 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.6% ±12.3 pts | 56.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.4% ±12.3 pts | 43.5% | – |
| Housing units | 875 ±139 | 62,883 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±12.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.5% ±10.8 pts | 69.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1% ±2.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 34.7% ±11.0 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.2% ±6.1 pts | 6.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Ferndale building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Ferndale in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 3.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.6 across California.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Ferndale work and get to work?
68.4% of Ferndale's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.3 minutes.
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 48.2% ±9.7 pts | 56.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±7.2 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.4% ±11.2 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.3% ±10.7 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.0% ±10.7 pts | 13.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.3 min ±9.6 | 19.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Ferndale?
No census tract lies mostly in Ferndale; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 112Humboldt County | 3,123 | $71,500 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Ferndale) · Census block assignment files
How does Ferndale compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ferndale is the 9,158th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 465th-most populous of 483 in California.
Ferndale ranks 856th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 465th | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 360th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 718th | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 856th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 529th | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 604th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 932nd | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 335th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 477th | 988 |
| Median age | 39th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 655th | 1,064 |
| Travel time to work | 642nd | 1,069 |
Ferndale's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Ferndale with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Ferndale?
21 of the 57 figures for Ferndale on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Ferndale are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Ferndale.