Etna, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 642, Etna'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

Etna is a small community located in California, within Siskiyou County. The total population is 642. It ranks as the 1167th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Etna is 48.7 years. This is 28% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 12.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Etna is $49,063. This is 51% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.0%. This is 50% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 10.3%. This is 56% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $221,200. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 61.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Etna is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (78.8% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

30.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 19% lower 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 91.1%. Notably, 16.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Etna, 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.