Eureka receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arcata
Eureka
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
20 · Bottom 1%
vs50 · Bottom 11%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs39 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Arcata | Eureka | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,607 | 26,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,713 | $57,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,307 | $35,450 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,976/sq mi | 2,719/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $484,600 | $404,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,327 | $1,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.4% | 47.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 90 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 63°F | 63°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.4" | 40.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 122 mi | 128 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 17.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 28.1 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.86 | 19.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.2% | 59.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Arcata
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Eureka
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Arcata, CA · Eureka, CA · How this is calculated: methodology