County · California

Mendocino County, California

Mendocino County, California. Mendocino County had 88,122 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.8% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). It holds 23 places (4 cities, villages and boroughs and 19 census-designated) and 24 census tracts. GEOID 06045.

Mendocino County is the county of the Ukiah, CA micropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

88,122

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 91,601 · ACS 2020-2024: 90,244

Median household income

$68,092

±$3,254 (90% margin)
California: $99,122

Median home value

$512,200

±$19,774 (90% margin)
California: $734,700

Median gross rent

$1,317

±$51 (90% margin)
California: $2,036

How many people live in Mendocino County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 91,601 residents in Mendocino County. The Census Bureau estimates 88,122 for July 1, 2025, down 3.8% since 2020, a steeper fall than California's (−0.5%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 90,244 over 3,507 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 −82 (91,266)
2021→2022 −1,233 (90,033)
2022→2023 −692 (89,341)
2023→2024 −402 (88,939)
2024→2025 −817 (88,122)

Mendocino County in California. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Mendocino County	California	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	90,244	39,287,377	+3,020
Households	34,842±626	13,548,091	no clear change
Average household size	2.53±0.05	2.84	no clear change
Housing units	41,675±71	14,644,735	+715

Mendocino County's population since 2000

From 86,265 in 2000 to 88,122 in 2025: up 2.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 86,265
2005 (estimate) 87,981
2010 Census 87,841
2015 (estimate) 87,131
2020 Census 91,601
2025 (estimate) 88,122

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Mendocino County?

Mendocino County holds 23 places: 4 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 19 census-designated places. The largest is Ukiah with 16,068 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Mendocino County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Ukiah	city	16,607	16,304±50	$66,160	$458,400	17.9%	100%
Fort Bragg	city	6,983	7,032±37	$56,481	$535,400	18.2%	100%
Willits	city	4,988	4,920±30	$63,447	$371,100	9.9%	100%
Brooktrails	CDP	3,632	4,398±850	$116,056	$371,700	5.4%	100%
Redwood ValleyGEOID 0660214	CDP	1,843	1,898±675	$63,563	$651,200	17.3%	100%
Covelo	CDP	1,394	1,286±438	$34,583	$360,000	36.5%	100%
LaytonvilleGEOID 0640928	CDP	1,152	720±275	$37,656	$378,100	18.2%	100%
BoonvilleGEOID 0607512	CDP	1,018	667±295	$42,188	$661,800	16.8%	100%
TalmageGEOID 0677784	CDP	986	1,128±379	$44,647	$437,500	23.0%	100%
MendocinoGEOID 0646814	CDP	932	574±185	$80,833	not published	0.0%	100%
CalpellaGEOID 0609990	CDP	799	474±312	$86,912	$580,800	0.0%	100%
Potter ValleyGEOID 0658506	CDP	665	436±240	$121,071	$635,900	4.4%	100%
Hopland	CDP	661	983±341	$91,786	$612,200	14.1%	100%
CleoneGEOID 0614008	CDP	622	613±280	$53,679	$607,500	1.8%	100%
CasparGEOID 0611768	CDP	500	279±122	not published	$1,009,100	6.5%	100%
Anchor BayGEOID 0602028	CDP	473	771±711	$88,194	$1,605,500	4.2%	100%
Point Arena	city	460	789±238	$108,095	$436,000	10.1%	100%
PhiloGEOID 0656868	CDP	319	60±49	$73,631	not published	0.0%	100%
ComptcheGEOID 0615030	CDP	167	163±172	not published	not published	37.4%	100%
ManchesterGEOID 0645386	CDP	159	184±206	$61,154	not published	0.0%	100%
AlbionGEOID 0600716	CDP	153	250±95	not published	$578,100	39.5%	100%
Little RiverGEOID 0641866	CDP	94	94±83	not published	$475,000	0.0%	100%
LeggettGEOID 0641026	CDP	77	24±24	not published	not published	0.0%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Mendocino County?

The median resident of Mendocino County is 44.1 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 24.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 27.6%. 12.2% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Mendocino County	California	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	44.1±0.3	37.9	+1.0
Under 18 years	20.9%±0.1 pts	22.0%	–
65 years and over	24.5%±0.1 pts	15.7%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	27.6%	40.2%	+2.5 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	61.1%±0.5 pts	33.8%	−4.1 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.6%±0.2 pts	5.2%	no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic	2.1%±0.2 pts	15.3%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	2.5%±0.3 pts	0.3%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.3%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	5.2%±0.6 pts	4.4%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.7%±0.4 pts	0.6%	–
Born outside the United States	12.2%±0.9 pts	27.0%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	22.1%±1.4 pts	44.4%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	5.9%±0.6 pts	4.3%	–
With a disability	18.6%±1.3 pts	11.6%	–
No health insurance coverage	7.7%±0.8 pts	6.6%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	87.3%±1.2 pts	84.7%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	25.2%±1.6 pts	37.1%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	10.1%±1.1 pts	14.4%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	1.1%±0.3 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 Mendocino County earn?

Half of Mendocino County's 34,842 households earn less than $68,092 a year (±$3,254), against $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 the median was $63,277 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $4,815 after inflation. 15.4% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Mendocino County	California	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$68,092±$3,254	$99,122	+$4,815
Mean household income	$95,438±$3,947	$140,436	–
Per capita income	$38,760±$1,386	$49,513	+$3,027
People below the poverty line	15.4%±1.7 pts	12.0%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	16.8%±4.3 pts	15.0%	−8.6 pts
Households receiving SNAP	17.4%±1.5 pts	12.4%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	89.6%±1.7 pts	93.5%	–

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 Mendocino County?

Owners occupy 61.7% of Mendocino County's occupied homes and renters 38.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $512,200 by its owner (±$19,774). The median renter pays $1,317 a month including utilities, and 44.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Mendocino County	California	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$512,200±$19,774	$734,700	+$47,613
Median gross rent	$1,317±$51	$2,036	−$93
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	44.5%±4.5 pts	46.0%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$2,417±$118	$2,946	–
Owner-occupied homes	61.7%±1.9 pts	55.9%	no clear change
Housing units	41,675±71	14,644,735	+715
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.1%±0.6 pts	0.8%	–
Rental vacancy rate	2.8%±1.3 pts	4.2%	–
Single-family detached homes	72.4%±1.9 pts	57.0%	–
Mobile homes	9.7%±1.2 pts	3.5%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.0%±0.5 pts	1.3%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	8.7%±1.1 pts	8.9%	–

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 Mendocino County building?

Builders took permits for 3 new housing units across Mendocino County in 2025 (3 single-family), 0.0 per 1,000 residents.

2019 132 units
2020 139 units
2021 187 units
2022 0 units
2023 17 units
2024 9 units
2025 3 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Mendocino County get to work?

70.9% of Mendocino County's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.0%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Mendocino County	California	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	56.5%±1.4 pts	63.8%	–
Unemployment rate	9.0%±1.5 pts	6.6%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	70.9%±2.1 pts	65.7%	–
Carpooled	10.0%±1.6 pts	9.5%	–
Public transportation	0.2%±0.2 pts	2.9%	–
Walked	5.9%±1.4 pts	2.4%	–
Worked from home	12.2%±1.7 pts	17.2%	+3.0 pts
Mean travel time to work	21.5 min±1.4	28.7 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 are Mendocino County's census tracts?

Mendocino County is divided into 24 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $35,104 (Tract 102) to $114,044 (Tract 111.02).

All 24 census tracts of Mendocino County, with their figures

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Mendocino County compare with California's other counties?

Mendocino County's rank among California's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	38th of 58
Growth 2020-2025	47th of 58
Residents per square mile	44th of 58
Median household income	44th of 58
Median home value	28th of 58
Median gross rent	38th of 56
Poverty rate	17th of 57
Bachelor's degree or higher	31st of 58
Median age	14th of 58

Every county in California

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Mendocino County 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' school search.