Big Lagoon, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 138, Big Lagoon's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Big Lagoon is a small community located in California, within Humboldt County. The total population is 138. It ranks as the 1425th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Lagoon is 62.7 years. This is 65% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. 18.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Big Lagoon is $57,438. This is 42% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.0%. This is 9% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Big Lagoon, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $628,800. Housing costs are 14% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.9x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 87.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 56% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Big Lagoon has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (87.7% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (7.2%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

63.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 72% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.7%. Notably, 48.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Big Lagoon, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.