FROLIC (brig) · National Register of Historic Places
Caspar’s story
152 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1874Caspar is settled
CasparCA
This town of 279 people was settled in 1874.
FROLIC (brig) · Photo: Missvain · CC BY 4.0
Population
279
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$1.01M
Census ACS
Median age
61.1
years
Jobs based here
54
A commuter town
Is Caspar a good place to live?
66% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Caspar, above both California’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Only 5 of the 847 California towns we compare have a lower typical July afternoon high than Caspar. Caspar has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them FROLIC (brig) and Point Cabrillo Light Station. Caspar has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
279 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Caspar: who provides what
Caspar is unincorporated, so Mendocino County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCaspar South Service CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMendocino CountyMendocino County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMendocino County Clerk-ElectionsMendocino County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes95420, 9546095420 68% · 95460 32%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Caspar.
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Caspar is earthquakes, at a very high overall level
On expected storm and flood damage, Caspar sits above 85% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 67% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 28% to inland flooding. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2022.
85risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With only 0.4 jobs per working resident, most people in Caspar work out of town
The top destinations are Fort Bragg (29%), Mendocino (14%) and Ukiah (3%). Caspar’s typical journey to work stands at 42 minutes. It had 54 jobs in 2023, up 24 from 2013. In Caspar, 6.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
0%work in town
| Caspar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 42 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Caspar0%
Fort Bragg29%
Mendocino14%
Ukiah3%
San Francisco2%
6 mi
median commute distance
54
jobs based in Caspar
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Outdoors
20% of Caspar is conserved land
Trails run 4.8 miles in 4 parks and preserves. Jug Handle State Natural Reserve, at 188 acres with 1.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Caspar’s trail network density is 1.6 miles per square mile.
20%conserved
20%
conserved · 380 of 1,903 acres
4.8 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jug Handle State Natural Reserve | 1.1 mi | 188 |
| 2. Caspar Headlands State Reserve | 1.1 mi | 68 |
| 3. Caspar Headlands State Beach | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
65°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter43–55°
Spring45–58°
Summer50–64°
Fall48–62°
Dec 1
typical first frost
Mar 2
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
65°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Caspar than in most of California or the rest of the country
For adults in Caspar, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 31%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Caspar beats California on 12 and trails on 8.
| Caspar | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 31% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 29% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
12 better12 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Caspar | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.2% | 14.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.1% | 6.4% |
Adventist Health Mendocino Coast
4.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$870Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 7 attractions →Glass Beach and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Caspar. Close and well known come first.
6 mi BeachGlass Beach
39 mi Theme parkConfusion Hill
28 mi LighthousePoint Arena Light
3 mi GardenMendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
4 mi MuseumKelley House Museum
35 mi MuseumGrace Hudson MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Glass Beach: Ggerdel - Foto de: Gustavo Gerdel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Confusion Hill: Tomas Sennett, Public domain · Point Arena Light: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens: Allie Caulfield, CC BY 2.0 · Kelley House Museum: Daderot, CC0 · Grace Hudson Museum: User:Binksternet, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Caspar
16pages on Caspar
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Caspar; the nearest are
Mendocino CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ukiah33 mi$1,423 in-state tuitionSonoma State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Rohnert Park93.1 mi$8,624 in-state tuition
About 10 of every 100 Caspar residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Caspar for work
Where Caspar’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
54jobs based in Caspar
0%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Caspar on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Questions about Caspar
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Caspar, CA a good place to live?
Caspar has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.