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
Red Bluff
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 20%
vs7 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Fortuna | Red Bluff | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,326 | 14,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,289 | $51,529 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,685 | $41,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,347/sq mi | 1,924/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $379,700 | $299,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,168 | $1,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 42.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.8% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 250.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 63°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.4" | 23.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 140 mi | 108 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 34.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.72 | 19.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.1% | 70.3% | 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
Fortuna
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Red Bluff
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Fortuna, CA · Red Bluff, CA · How this is calculated: methodology