Scotia, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 405, Scotia'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

Scotia is a small community located in California, within Humboldt County. The total population is 405. It ranks as the 1262nd most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Scotia is 32.0 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 30.4% of the population under 18, Scotia has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Scotia is $51,250. This is 48% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.4%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 12.1%. This is 83% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $342,300. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 52.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Scotia is White (non-Hispanic), making up 54.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (54.6% vs 33.8%). The Hispanic or Latino population (12.8%) is well below the state average of 40.2%.

Education

44.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 21% 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 98.0%. Notably, 17.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Scotia, 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.