Arcata, CA
Census place 0602476 · pop 18,607
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
22.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
36.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
27.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$46,713 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
502 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$484,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1800 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,576/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
29.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
46.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.60% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Arcata, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Arcata scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is poor mental health. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Arcata, CA?
- Arcata reports 502 violent crimes per 100k and 1800 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Arcata, CA expensive to live in?
- Arcata has a median home value of $484,600 and typical rent around $1,576/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Arcata, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (22.6%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Arcata, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (18 min) — 87/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.