PlainZIP

Arcata, CA · standard

ZIP Code 95521

Humboldt County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

20,199
145/sq mi
$53,114
Median income
$501,000
Median home value
46.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Arcata pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
145
people per sq mi
40%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 95521 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 95521 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Arcata, Humboldt County, California, with 20,199 residents across 139.0 square miles, a density of 145 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 95521 reports a modest median household income of $53,114 (48% below the California average), while per-capita income is $33,368. Local economic indicators show a 24.4% poverty rate alongside 11.0% unemployment. Median home value sits at $501,000 (35% below the state average), median rent at $1,336 a month, and owner-occupancy at 40.2%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.2, and the average commute is 18 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 5 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 95521, plus 6 more within Humboldt County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 95521

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Arcata, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 95521.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 95521, Arcata, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

20,199

Population

139.0

Area (sq mi)

145

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 95521?

29.2

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

4.8%

Foreign-Born

White 73.6%
African American 3.0%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$53,114

Median Household Income

-48% vs state

$33,368

Per Capita Income

24.4%

Poverty Rate

11.0%

Unemployment Rate

17.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 95521 ranks nationally

Arcata, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$53,114 18th percentile higher than 18% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 46.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

10,198

Total Housing Units

9,225

Occupied Units

973

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 40.2%
Renter 59.8%

$501,000

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$1,336

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.4%

YoY Change (2024)

357

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+257%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 95521 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +257% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.6% 239
2021 +10.8% 265
2022 +21.1% 320
2023 +4.7% 335
2024 +6.4% 357

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 613 business establishments in ZIP 95521, employing approximately 7,881 people with a combined annual payroll of $352,279,000.

613

Businesses

7,881

Employees

$352.3M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 101 16.5%
Accommodation and food services 101 16.5%
Health care and social assistance 69 11.3%
Other services (except public administration) 62 10.1%
Manufacturing 45 7.3%
Construction 44 7.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 44 7.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 30 4.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 3.9%
Wholesale trade 23 3.8%
Finance and insurance 17 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.5%
Transportation and warehousing 12 2.0%
Educational services 8 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 5 0.8%
Information 5 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 95521 vs 95524 →

ZIP 95521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 95521 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 95521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 95521 ranks #6 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
95524 Bayside, CA 1,787 2.0 mi
95519 Mckinleyville, CA 17,432 7.4 mi
95501 Eureka, CA 23,976 5.9 mi
95503 Eureka, CA 24,152 8.8 mi
95564 Samoa, CA 462 8.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Humboldt County

95503 standard
Eureka, CA
Pop: 24,152
95501 standard
Eureka, CA
Pop: 23,976
95519 standard
Mckinleyville, CA
Pop: 17,432
95540 standard
Fortuna, CA
Pop: 13,657
95546 standard
Hoopa, CA
Pop: 3,494
95562 standard
Rio Dell, CA
Pop: 3,450

Related Areas

Humboldt County Arcata, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 95521 in? ▼
ZIP code 95521 (Arcata) is located in Humboldt County, California. Humboldt County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/humboldt-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 95521? ▼
ZIP code 95521 in Arcata, CA has a population of 20,199 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 95521? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 95521 is $53,114, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 95521? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 95521 is $501,000, which is 80% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 95521? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 95521 is White at 73.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 95521? ▼
ZIP code 95521 has 613 business establishments employing approximately 7,881 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 95521? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 95521 are: Retail trade (101), Accommodation and food services (101), Health care and social assistance (69). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 95521? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 95521 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 257%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 95521? ▼
In ZIP code 95521, 61.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 95521? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 95521 is 17.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 95521? ▼
In ZIP code 95521, approximately 40.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 59.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 95521? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 95521 is 24.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.