Mendocino County, California Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Mendocino County, California has a population of 90,244, the 38th most populous county in California. The median household income is $68,092 and the median home value is $512,200. The poverty rate is 15.4%.

Mendocino County Quick Facts

Population 90,244

Median Household Income $68,09290% MOE ±$3,254

Median Home Value $512,20090% MOE ±$19,774

Poverty Rate 15.4%90% MOE ±1.7 pts

Unemployment Rate 9.0%90% MOE ±1.5 pts

Median Age 44.1 years90% MOE ±0.3 years

Homeownership Rate 61.7%90% MOE ±1.8 pts

Affordability Ratio 7.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 25.1%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 87.3%

Cities/Places 23

Population 90,244 38th of 58

Median Income $68,092 31% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.4%

Unemployment 9.0%

How Mendocino County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	87,224	90,244	+3.5%
Median household income	$63,278	$68,092	+7.6%
Median home value¹	$464,592	$512,200	+10.2%
Median gross rent	$1,410	$1,317	-6.6%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Mendocino

$68,092

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Mendocino

$512,200

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.0%

$25K-$50K 18.2%

$50K-$100K 28.7%

$100K+ 34.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.4%

$10K-$15K

5.2%

$15K-$20K

4.5%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

3.3%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

7.2%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

11.8%

$100K-$125K

9.2%

$125K-$150K

7.5%

$150K-$200K

9.0%

$200K+

8.4%

Employment

9.0% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%

56.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.7%

Renter 38.3%

Affordability Index Very Expensive

7.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,317/mo 23.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.9%

18-34

17.8%

35-54

23.8%

55-74

27.9%

75+

9.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Mendocino County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Ukiah	16,304	$66,160	17.9%	$458,400
Fort Bragg	7,032	$56,481	18.2%	$535,400
Willits	4,920	$63,447	9.9%	$371,100
Brooktrails	4,398	$116,056	5.4%	$371,700
Redwood Valley	1,898	$63,563	17.3%	$651,200
Covelo	1,286	$34,583	36.5%	$360,000
Talmage	1,128	$44,647	23.0%	$437,500
Hopland	983	$91,786	14.1%	$612,200
Point Arena	789	$108,095	10.1%	$436,000
Anchor Bay	771	$88,194	4.2%	$1,605,500
Laytonville	720	$37,656	18.2%	$378,100
Boonville	667	$42,188	16.8%	$661,800
Cleone	613	$53,679	1.8%	$607,500
Mendocino	574	$80,833	0.0%	N/A
Calpella	474	$86,912	0.0%	$580,800
Potter Valley	436	$121,071	4.4%	$635,900
Caspar	279	N/A	6.5%	$1,009,100
Albion	250	N/A	39.5%	$578,100
Manchester	184	$61,154	0.0%	N/A
Comptche	163	N/A	37.4%	N/A
Little River	94	N/A	0.0%	$475,000
Philo	60	$73,631	0.0%	N/A
Leggett	24	N/A	0.0%	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

Mendocino County is located in California with a total population of 90,244. It is the 38th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 23 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Mendocino County is 44.1 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Mendocino County is $68,092. This is 31% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.4%. This is 28% 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 $512,200. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 61.7% 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 Mendocino County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 27.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (61.1% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% 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 87.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Mendocino 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 Mendocino County, California?

Mendocino County has a population of 90,244, making it the 38th most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Mendocino County?

The median household income in Mendocino County is $68,092 with a poverty rate of 15.4%.

How many cities are in Mendocino County, California?

Mendocino County contains 23 Census-designated places.