Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Point Arena’s July high is 64°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Point Arena’s trail density is 2.7 miles per square mile, against 1.0 in California’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Buckridge Ranch House and LeGrand Morse House. Point Arena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Point Arena beats most towns.
Census counts: 198 in 1880, a peak of 709 in 1890, 460 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1870 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
12 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Point Arena, 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 Point Arena.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Arena Union Elementary school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arena ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 239 | – |
| Point Arena HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 131 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Point Arena home is worth about $500,000, down 7% in a year, 34% below the California typical home. 52% of households own their home in Point Arena.
| Point Arena | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 52% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,917 a month | $1,896 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Point Arena has warm winters and cool summers. The January low in Point Arena is 43°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. California Coastal National Monument, at 119 acres with 1.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. California Coastal National Monument | 1.5 mi | 119 |
| 2. Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (24% statewide); children under 18 are 28% of residents (22% statewide). 12% of Point Arena residents are 65 or older. Point Arena has lost 2.2% of its people since 2020, down to 453 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Point Arena | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.5 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
Somewhere between 39% and 71% women
The Census survey reached too few of Point Arena’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±16.1 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Point Arena | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.8% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.6% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.6% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.6% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.3% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.3% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.5% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.4% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 25.7% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 20.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.3% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.7% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.9% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Most working residents leave Point Arena for work: only 11% work in town. Point Arena’s average trip to work is 19 minutes. Jobs based in Point Arena fell to 170 in 2023, 66 fewer than in 2013.
| Point Arena | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $108,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Point Arena beats the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
| Point Arena | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 72% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Point Arena | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.7% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.7% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 6.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Point Arena; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Point Arena residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
12 places in Point Arena on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in California, United States
Point Arena, formerly known as Punta Arena (Spanish for "Sandy Point"), is a small coastal city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Point Arena is located 32 miles (51 km) west of Hopland, at an elevation of 118 feet (36 m). The population was 460 at the 2020 census, making it one of the smallest incorporated cities in the state. Its main street is part of State Route 1, California's coastal artery. Along with a number of other Mendocino County coastal communities, Point Arena was associated with the hippie and subsequent counterculture groups. The economy is largely geared toward serving the summertime tourist industry. The city is near the headquarters of the tribal lands of t…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Point Arena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
