PlainZIP

Fortuna, CA · standard

ZIP Code 95540

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

13,657
190/sq mi
$63,695
Median income
$389,500
Median home value
26.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fortuna pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

36th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 22%
home value, US ZIPs
190
people per sq mi
56%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 95540 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 95540 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fortuna, Humboldt County, California, home to 13,657 residents across 71.9 square miles, a density of 190 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 95540 reports a modest median household income of $63,695 (37% below the California average), while per-capita income is $35,239. Poverty here runs at 17.4%, with unemployment measured at 7.8%. Housing costs here run $389,500 for a typical home value (50% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,178 a month; 56.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 95540 in local context, 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Humboldt County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 95540

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fortuna, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 95540.

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 95540, Fortuna, 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

13,657

Population

71.9

Area (sq mi)

190

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 95540?

39.1

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

12.5%

Foreign-Born

White 67.1%
African American 1.7%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.1%
Hispanic or Latino 23.3%

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?

$63,695

Median Household Income

-37% vs state

$35,239

Per Capita Income

17.4%

Poverty Rate

7.8%

Unemployment Rate

23.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 95540 ranks nationally

Fortuna, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,695 36th percentile higher than 36% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.2%

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

What does housing look like?

6,059

Total Housing Units

5,689

Occupied Units

370

Vacant Units

2.50

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 56.4%
Renter 43.6%

$389,500

Median Home Value

-50% vs state

$1,178

Median Rent

1978

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

+1.8%

YoY Change (2024)

315

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+215%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 95540 have increased 1.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +215% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.5% 232
2021 +15.1% 266
2022 +7.2% 286
2023 +8.4% 310
2024 +1.8% 315

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 323 business establishments in ZIP 95540, employing approximately 2,796 people with a combined annual payroll of $132,624,000.

323

Businesses

2,796

Employees

$132.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 57 17.6%
Accommodation and food services 44 13.6%
Other services (except public administration) 35 10.8%
Health care and social assistance 32 9.9%
Construction 31 9.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 24 7.4%
Finance and insurance 23 7.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 5.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 13 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 10 3.1%
Manufacturing 9 2.8%
Wholesale trade 8 2.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.6%
Educational services 3 0.9%

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 95540 vs 95547 →

ZIP 95540 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 95540 ranks #2 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 95540 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 95540 ranks #6 of 8 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
95547 Hydesville, CA 1,222 3.2 mi
95562 Rio Dell, CA 3,450 8.1 mi
95551 Loleta, CA 1,739 7.5 mi
95503 Eureka, CA 24,152 10.3 mi
95536 Ferndale, CA 2,849 8.4 mi
95537 Fields Landing, CA 276 11.1 mi
95565 Scotia, CA 1,071 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Humboldt County

95503 standard
Eureka, CA
Pop: 24,152
95501 standard
Eureka, CA
Pop: 23,976
95521 standard
Arcata, CA
Pop: 20,199
95519 standard
Mckinleyville, CA
Pop: 17,432
95546 standard
Hoopa, CA
Pop: 3,494
95562 standard
Rio Dell, CA
Pop: 3,450

Related Areas

Humboldt County Fortuna, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 95540 in? ▼
ZIP code 95540 (Fortuna) 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 95540? ▼
ZIP code 95540 in Fortuna, CA has a population of 13,657 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 95540? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 95540 is $63,695, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 95540? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 95540 is $389,500, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 95540? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 95540 is White at 67.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 23.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 95540? ▼
ZIP code 95540 has 323 business establishments employing approximately 2,796 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 95540? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 95540 are: Retail trade (57), Accommodation and food services (44), Other services (except public administration) (35). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 95540? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 95540 increased by 1.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 215%. 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 95540? ▼
In ZIP code 95540, 54.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.2% 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 95540? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 95540 is 23.2 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 95540? ▼
In ZIP code 95540, approximately 56.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 95540? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 95540 is 17.4% 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.