Red Bluff and Arcata receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Red Bluff
Arcata
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 4%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
45 · Bottom 40%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
7 · Bottom 2%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 14%
vs20 · Bottom 1%
Access
8 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Red Bluff | Arcata | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,549 | 18,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,529 | $46,713 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,367 | $32,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,924/sq mi | 1,976/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $299,900 | $484,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,121 | $1,327 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.8% | 36.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.8% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 63°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 23.1" | 40.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 108 mi | 122 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 18.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 28.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.84 | 17.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.3% | 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
Red Bluff
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Arcata
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Red Bluff, CA · Arcata, CA · How this is calculated: methodology