Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Ferndale’s best subject grades are an A+ for history and the outdoors and an A for civic life; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. 36% of residents are 65 or older in Ferndale, above both the California town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Homes are expensive, about $480K for a typical one and 7.9 times the Eureka area’s $61K median household income. Ferndale’s trail density is 3.0 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in California’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. On history, just 1 of California’s 1,063 towns do better. Russ Park, at 99 acres with 3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Ferndale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Ferndale beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Census counts: 178 in 1880, 1,398 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 1874 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Ferndale is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ferndale, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Ferndale.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ferndale.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Ferndale Unified school district. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 338 | B− |
| Ferndale HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 145 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
7.7% of residents are under 18 in Ferndale. Ferndale has lost 3.9% of its people since 2020, down to 1,348 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Ferndale’s median age is 61.2 years.
| Ferndale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 7.7% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 61.2 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 32% | 29% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 73 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.4 points). Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Ferndale | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.1% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.6% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 16% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.4% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 4.9% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.2% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.6% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 19.3% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.1% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 36.2% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.3% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.5% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.6% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
The median rent in Ferndale is $1,028 a month. The typical Ferndale home is worth about $481,000, up 1.5% in a year, 37% below the California typical home. 61% of Ferndale households own their home.
| Ferndale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,028 a month | $1,896 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Ferndale has warm winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 66°, January nights drop to 42° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Russ Park | 3 mi | 99 |
| 2. Firemen's Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Most working residents leave Ferndale for work: only 14% work in town. Since 2013, Ferndale has lost 57 jobs, to 365 in 2023. The top destinations are Eureka (19%), Fortuna (11%) and Arcata (3%).
| Ferndale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Ferndale beats the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
| Ferndale | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| What stands out | Ferndale | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.8% | 14.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ferndale. Close and well known come first.
38 mi National ParkRedwood National Park1.2M visitors a year
24 mi State parkHumboldt Redwoods State Park15 mi Zoo & aquariumSequoia Park Zoo
in town MuseumFerndale Museum
21 mi MuseumArcata Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary
16 mi MuseumClarke Historical MuseumRedwood National Park: Michael Schweppe, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Humboldt Redwoods State Park: Jason Sturner, CC BY 2.0 · Ferndale Museum: Ellin Beltz, Public domain · Arcata Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary: Monotropa_uniflora (talk) (Uploads), Public domain · Clarke Historical Museum: NoeHill, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ferndale
About 3 of every 100 Ferndale residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
7 places in Ferndale on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Ferndale.
City in California, United States
Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 1,398 at the 2020 census, up from 1,371 at the 2010 census. The city is well known for its dozens of well-preserved Victorian storefronts and homes. Ferndale is the northern gateway to California's Lost Coast and the city, which is sited on the edge of a wide plain near the mouth of the Eel River, is also located near extensive preserves of coast redwood forests.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
6 notable people were born here, including Frank Ferguson and Donald H. Clausen.
