City · California
Fortuna, California
Fortuna, city, in Humboldt County, California. Fortuna had 12,003 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 12,516 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 12,326 (±58). GEOID 0625296.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
12,003
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 12,516 · ACS 2020-2024: 12,326 ±58
Median household income
$62,289
±$4,714 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$379,700
±$22,399 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,168
±$118 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Fortuna and what county is it in?
Fortuna is a city in Humboldt County, California. It covers 5.3 square miles of land, 2,383 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fortuna 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 Fortuna, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 12,003 people lived in Fortuna on July 1, 2025, down 4.1% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020 Census counted 12,516 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 12,326 (±58).
| Measure | Fortuna | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,326 ±58 | 134,541 | +116 |
| Households | 4,925 ±283 | 54,922 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.45 ±0.14 | 2.37 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,295 ±308 | 62,883 | no clear change |
Fortuna's population since 2000
From 10,497 in 2000 to 12,003 in 2025: up 14.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fortuna 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 Fortuna?
The median resident of Fortuna is 37.4 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 17.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 26.7%. 14.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fortuna | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 ±4.3 | 39.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±2.2 pts | 18.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.3% ±2.1 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 47.7% ±2.6 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 26.7% ±4.7 pts | 14.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.2% ±4.7 pts | 69.5% | −9.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.9 pts | 3.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±1.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.1% ±3.2 pts | 6.2% | +5.1 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.2% ±4.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.7% ±2.1 pts | 6.0% | – |
| With a disability | 17.6% ±2.2 pts | 18.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.3% ±1.7 pts | 4.9% | −2.7 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 85.8% ±3.3 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.8% ±4.1 pts | 33.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.3% ±2.0 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.6% ±4.0 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±0.7 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 Fortuna earn?
Half of Fortuna's 4,925 households earn less than $62,289 a year (±$4,714), against $61,160 in Humboldt County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $56,849 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fortuna | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,289 ±$4,714 | $61,160 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $82,629 ±$9,189 | $86,064 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,685 ±$3,829 | $36,080 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.2% ±5.9 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 20.1% ±11.9 pts | 17.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.2% ±5.2 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.5% ±3.8 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.8% ±4.1 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 Fortuna?
Owners occupy 56.1% of Fortuna's occupied homes and renters 43.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $379,700 by its owner (±$22,399). The median renter pays $1,168 a month including utilities, and 47.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fortuna | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $379,700 ±$22,399 | $446,900 | +$30,921 |
| Median gross rent | $1,168 ±$118 | $1,287 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.2% ±11.2 pts | 53.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,837 ±$162 | $2,147 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.1% ±5.0 pts | 56.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.9% ±5.0 pts | 43.5% | – |
| Housing units | 5,295 ±308 | 62,883 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0% ±2.0 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.2% ±5.1 pts | 69.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.9% ±1.6 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.5% ±2.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.6% ±2.7 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.6% ±2.6 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 Fortuna building?
Builders took permits for 35 new housing units in Fortuna in 2025 (10 in single-family houses), 2.9 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 Fortuna work and get to work?
71.2% of Fortuna's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.0%.
| Measure | Fortuna | Humboldt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.2% ±4.5 pts | 56.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% ±2.7 pts | 9.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.2% ±6.3 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.2% ±4.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 3.0% ±2.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1% ±4.2 pts | 13.0% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.8 min ±5.5 | 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 Fortuna?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Fortuna, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $61,384 (Tract 109.01) to $61,791 (Tract 110).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 109.01Humboldt County | 4,729 | $61,384 |
| Tract 110Humboldt County | 4,884 | $61,791 |
| Tract 108Humboldt County | 5,113 | $63,527 |
| Tract 109.02Humboldt County | 4,141 | $88,519 |
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 Fortuna) · Census block assignment files
How does Fortuna compare with other places in California?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fortuna is the 2,829th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 353rd-most populous of 483 in California.
Fortuna ranks 866th 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 | 353rd | 483 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 368th | 469 |
| Residents per square mile | 541st | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 866th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 691st | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 795th | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 872nd | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 174th | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 605th | 988 |
| Median age | 666th | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 773rd | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 580th | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 730th | 1,069 |
Fortuna's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Fortuna 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 Fortuna?
10 of the 57 figures for Fortuna 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 Fortuna 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 Fortuna.