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Humboldt County, California Demographics 2026

Humboldt County, California has a population of 134,541, the 35th most populous county in California. The median household income is $61,160 and the median home value is $446,900. The poverty rate is 18.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Humboldt County Quick Facts

Population 134,541
Median Household Income $61,160
Median Home Value $446,900
Poverty Rate 18.7%
Unemployment Rate 9.0%
Median Age 39.9 years
Homeownership Rate 56.5%
Affordability Ratio 7.3x
Bachelor's Degree+ 33.1%
High School Graduation 91.9%
Cities/Places 39
Population 134,541 35th of 58
Median Income $61,160 38% lower than state
Poverty Rate 18.7%
Unemployment 9.0%

How Humboldt County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population135,418134,541-0.6%
Median household income$61,135$61,160+0.0%
Median home value$418,800$446,900+6.7%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.9%
$25K-$50K 21.9%
$50K-$100K 28.7%
$100K+ 29.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
7.1%
$10K-$15K
4.3%
$15K-$20K
3.9%
$20K-$25K
4.6%
$25K-$30K
4.2%
$30K-$35K
5.0%
$35K-$40K
5.0%
$40K-$45K
4.0%
$45K-$50K
3.8%
$50K-$60K
7.1%
$60K-$75K
10.5%
$75K-$100K
11.1%
$100K-$125K
8.4%
$125K-$150K
6.0%
$150K-$200K
7.2%
$200K+
7.8%

Employment

9.0% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%
56.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 56.5%
Renter 43.5%
Affordability Index Very Expensive
7.3x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,287/mo 25.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

49out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Humboldt County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Eureka26,010$57,66218.1%$404,500
Arcata18,607$46,71327.2%$484,600
McKinleyville17,113$73,32714.2%$457,600
Fortuna12,326$62,28918.2%$379,700
Myrtletown5,322$60,45717.2%$453,400
Humboldt Hill3,551$71,66715.0%$406,500
Cutten3,550$97,22512.2%$471,300
Rio Dell3,349$42,75317.6%$301,700
Pine Hills2,875$78,39316.1%$487,800
Bayview (Humboldt County)2,803$48,40622.9%$416,400
Hoopa2,233$64,64321.5%$248,500
Ferndale1,552$63,14213.0%$542,000
Westhaven-Moonstone1,537$66,81515.7%$598,100
Garberville1,415$39,54242.6%$387,300
Hydesville1,263$96,82717.0%$481,100
Redway1,145$23,72036.7%$391,500
Willow Creek1,076$47,13715.8%$389,500
Manila985$53,81317.3%$409,000
Blue Lake982$53,59416.1%$445,200
Fieldbrook736$85,6735.6%$603,400
Loleta723$40,08616.1%$589,800
Indianola560$54,71611.8%$454,800
Shelter Cove543$44,44424.9%$450,300
Fields Landing532$78,68652.8%$435,500
Miranda513$39,39039.0%$409,100
Scotia405$51,25011.4%$342,300
Trinidad347$105,83313.8%$834,000
Benbow316$56,6673.5%$293,100
Fairhaven293$81,3289.6%$453,800
Orick199$38,75022.6%$466,700
Samoa151$57,5002.6%N/A
Big Lagoon138$57,43813.0%$628,800
Weitchpec104$53,75056.7%$262,500
Weott81N/A100.0%N/A
Alderpoint71N/A100.0%N/A
Myers Flat69N/A44.9%N/A
Redcrest12N/A58.3%N/A
Kep'el10N/A0.0%N/A
Wautec6N/A33.3%N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Humboldt County is located in California with a total population of 134,541. It is the 35th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 39 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Humboldt County is 39.9 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Humboldt County is $61,160. This is 38% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.7%. This is 55% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 9.0%. This is 36% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $446,900. Housing costs are 39% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 56.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Humboldt County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (69.5% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (14.1%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

33.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 11% 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 91.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Humboldt County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Humboldt County, California?

Humboldt County has a population of 134,541, making it the 35th most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Humboldt County?

The median household income in Humboldt County is $61,160 with a poverty rate of 18.7%.

How many cities are in Humboldt County, California?

Humboldt County contains 39 Census-designated places.