Arcata is home to 18,607 people in California. The median age is 28.1, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 36% of the housing stock. That trails the California median by roughly 53%. 27.2% of locals live below the federal poverty line. People stay put here: 72% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $46,713, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 28.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
46% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 99%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Arcata
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$218,646 → $484,600(+122%)US over the same years: +67%
Homes owned by their occupants43.2% → 36.4%(−6.7 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Median age26.1 → 28.1(+2.0 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Arcata's population equals 14% of Humboldt County's. Its number of veterans equals 7.6% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 20% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)0%(0)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.9%(74)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era51.9%(257)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War10.9%(54)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 495 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Arcata, decade by decade
Arcata population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
15,197
$44,524
$218,646
36.9%
24.7
2000
16,651
$40,650
$243,191
41.6%
40.9
2010
17,231
$46,059
$503,212
41.7%
49.7
2020
18,857
$46,788
$432,455
47.9%
66.9
2024
18,607
$46,713
$484,600
46.3%
58.3
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
