Arcata is a city in Humboldt County, California, home to about 18,607 people across 9.4 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 95521 and 95524.
Homes sold for a median of $376 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Arcata; also Manila
Mostly Arcata; also Eureka and Indianola
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Arcata. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Arcata’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Sacramento International Airport (SMF)200 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV)8 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Sacramento, CA211 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Los Angeles, CA566 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Arcata; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Arcata had 18,857 residents in the 2020 census, up 13% since 2000.
It’s the 368th largest of 1,563 towns in California by population.
Humboldt County grew from 27,104 residents in 1900 to 136,463 in 2020.
Humboldt County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 64°F in summer, and winter lows average 40°F. About 40.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA weather station (6 miles away).
34,729 jobs at 3,178 businesses in Humboldt County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
397 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Arcata’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 35 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 34 |
| Dentists | 26 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 44 |
| Mental health providers | 220 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 27 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 2 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (23 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (4 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Arcata Elementary, Coastal Grove Charter District, Fuente Nueva Charter District and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcata ElementaryArcata | K–5 | 240 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Coastal Grove CharterArcata | K–8 | 235 | Charter | 1.3 mi |
| Fuente Nueva CharterArcata | K–5 | 150 | Charter | 1.4 mi |
| Jacoby CreekBayside | K–8 | 455 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Laurel Tree CharterArcata | K–12 | 197 | Charter | 2.0 mi |
| Pacific Union ElementaryArcata | K–8 | 534 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Redwood Coast MontessoriManila | K–12 | 218 | Charter | 5.2 mi |
| Trillium CharterArcata | K–5 | 40 | Charter | 1.4 mi |
| Union Street CharterArcata | K–5 | 99 | Charter | 0.6 mi |
| Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts AcademyArcata | 6–12 | 118 | Charter | 1.1 mi |
| Sunny Brae MiddleArcata | 6–8 | 232 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Arcata Educational Resource CenterArcata | 7–12 | 27 | Alternative Education | 2.0 mi |
| Arcata HighArcata | 9–12 | 1,007 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Pacific Coast High (Continuation)Arcata | 9–12 | 24 | Alternative Education | 0.8 mi |
| Six Rivers Charter HighArcata | 9–12 | 113 | Charter | 0.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mistwood Educational CenterBayside | TK–11 | 27 | Nonsectarian | 2.1 mi |
| Arcata Christian SchoolArcata | K–8 | 103 | Baptist | 0.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Manila, Eureka and Indianola.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.