Fortuna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fortuna
Arcata
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs20 · Bottom 1%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Fortuna | Arcata | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,326 | 18,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,289 | $46,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,685 | $32,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,347/sq mi | 1,976/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $379,700 | $484,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,168 | $1,327 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 36.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.4 | 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 | 140 mi | 122 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 18.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 28.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.72 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.1% | 50.2% | 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
Fortuna
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Arcata
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Fortuna, CA · Arcata, CA · How this is calculated: methodology