United States › California › Blue Lake CITY
Blue Lake California · 1,144 residents (2025 est.) · 0.62 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Blue Lake is a city of 982 people in California. The median age is 61.0, about 22 years above the US median. Households here earn about 46% less than in California as a whole. The foreign-born share is 0%. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average. 54% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 61.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
39% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 119%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,135 in 2000
1,144 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,589 / sq mi
−27%since 2009
from 2,168 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
781 962 1K 1K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Blue Lake Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,594
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,500 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,603 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.407 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$445,200
+119%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $111,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,284
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $583 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 61.5% in 2000
45.7% rent
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.71 people
−31%since 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 7.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.8%(985)
Hispanic / Latino 2.5%(28)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 89.3%(877)
Hispanic / Latino 2.6%(26)
from 26 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 28.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 95.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 77.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 32.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.3%(14)
Share of the 60 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Blue Lake Head to head
Compare Blue Lake to nearby cities BLUE LAKE VS
Arcata
Income $46,713 −13%
Home value $484,600 +9%
Population 19,047 +1565%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLUE LAKE VS
McKinleyville
Income $73,327 +37%
Home value $457,600 +3%
Population 17,113 +1396%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLUE LAKE VS
Eureka
Income $57,662 +8%
Home value $404,500 −9%
Population 25,304 +2112%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BLUE LAKE VS
Fortuna
Income $62,289 +16%
Home value $379,700 −15%
Population 12,003 +949%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Blue Lake, California? Blue Lake, California has about 982 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Blue Lake, California? The typical household in Blue Lake, California earns about $53,594 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Blue Lake, California expensive? In Blue Lake, California, the median home is worth about $445,200, and the typical rent is about $1,284 a month.
How educated are people in Blue Lake, California? About 38.7% of adults age 25 and over in Blue Lake, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Blue Lake, California? About 16.1% of people in Blue Lake, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Blue Lake, California grown since 1990? Yes, Blue Lake, California has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 253 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 