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 High-density area
- $53,114
- Median income Below-median income area
- $501,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 46.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 95521 (Arcata, CA) rose +6.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 335.3 in 2023 to 356.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average California ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,368. Economic pressure is pronounced: 24.4% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.0%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $501,000 (35% below the average California ZIP), and median rent is $1,336; owner occupancy is 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. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Humboldt County, so 95521 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
101 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
101 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
69 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
62 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
45 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 95521?
29.2
Median Age
48.9%
Male
51.1%
Female
4.8%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$33,368
Per Capita Income
24.4%
Poverty Rate
11.0%
Unemployment Rate
17.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 95521 ranks among California ZIPs
Arcata, CA household income vs. every California ZIP code
Median household income among 1,583 reporting California ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$53,114 9th percentile higher than 9% of 1,583 California ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more California 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
10,198housing units
10,198
Total Housing Units
9,225
Occupied Units
973
Vacant Units
2.19
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$501,000
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 95503
Eureka (95503)
24,152 residents
- 95501
Eureka (95501)
23,976 residents
- 95521
Arcata (95521)
20,199 residents
- 95519
Mckinleyville (95519)
17,432 residents
- 95524 1,787
Bayside (95524)
1,787 residents
- 95564 462
Samoa (95564)
462 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 95521 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 95521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 95524
Bayside (95524)
$87,500 median income
- 95564
Samoa (95564)
$78,750 median income
- 95519
Mckinleyville (95519)
$73,280 median income
- 95503
Eureka (95503)
$71,855 median income
- 95501
Eureka (95501)
$54,137 median income
- 95521
Arcata (95521)
$53,114 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 95521, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (20,199 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Humboldt County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 95521's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 95521 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Arcata, CA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.