Coast Guard Surfboat USSMilwaukee Rescue, 1917
Samoa’s story
132 years in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and 4 maps from 1922 on.
- 1894Samoa is settled
SamoaCA
A town of 151, settled in 1894.
Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
151
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
32.2
years
Jobs based here
106
A job hub
Is Samoa a good place to live?
Samoa’s July high is 63°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Only 9 of the 848 California towns we compare have a lower share of homes lived in by their owners than Samoa. Samoa’s trail density is 3.9 miles per square mile, above both California’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Digawututklh, at 49 acres. Samoa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Samoa stand out
Where Samoa beats most towns.
Small town
151 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 Samoa: who provides what
Samoa is unincorporated, so Humboldt County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHumboldt Bay Mwd water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesHumboldt CountyHumboldt County provides services here
SchoolsNorthern Humboldt Union High School DistrictPeninsula Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Samoa; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereHumboldt County Office of ElectionsHumboldt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9556495564 100%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 Samoa.
Work & commute
The average trip to work in Samoa is shorter than in most of California or the rest of the country
For most workers, Samoa is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. This California town had 106 jobs in 2023, up 63 from 2013. In Samoa, 2.6% of residents live below the poverty line. Half the trips to work are shorter than 5 miles.
4%work in town
| Samoa | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Samoa4%
Eureka37%
Arcata22%
McKinleyville6%
Manila4%
5 mi
median commute distance
106
jobs based in Samoa
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Samoa’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Enrollment at Samoa’s public school: 66 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peninsula UnionLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 66 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Samoa is tsunamis, at a very high overall level
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 97% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 69% of Samoa’s expected hazard losses down to tsunamis, and 24% to earthquakes.
97risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TsunamisEarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
64°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–55°
Spring45–57°
Summer50–63°
Fall47–61°
Dec 7
typical first frost
Feb 22
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
64°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Samoa’s adults binge drink than in the typical California or U.S. town
The share of adults in Samoa who feel lonely: 35%. This California town beats the California average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. Among adults in the town, 67% had a checkup this year and 20% report frequent mental distress.
| Samoa | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 72% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
7 better18 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Samoa | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.8% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.9% | 11.7% |
| More binge drinkers | 21.9% | 15.3% |
Providence St. Joseph Hospital
3.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up 8% of Samoa
There are 3.1 miles of trail across 2 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Samoa: 2, covering 51 acres.
8%conserved
8%
conserved · 43 of 533 acres
3.1 mi
of trails · 3.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Digawututklh | 0.4 mi | 49 |
| 2. Samoa County Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
$440Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 9 attractions →Redwood National Park and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Samoa. Close and well known come first.
22 mi National ParkRedwood National Park1.2M visitors a year4 mi Zoo & aquariumSequoia Park Zoo
37 mi State parkHumboldt Redwoods State Park
6 mi MuseumArcata Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary
in town MuseumClarke Historical Museum
in town MuseumHumboldt Bay Maritime MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Redwood National Park: Michael Schweppe, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Humboldt Redwoods State Park: Jason Sturner, CC BY 2.0 · Arcata Wastewater Treatment Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary: Monotropa_uniflora (talk) (Uploads), Public domain · Clarke Historical Museum: NoeHill, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Samoa
17pages on Samoa
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Samoa
California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtUniversity or college · Public · Arcata7.2 mi$8,250 in-state tuitionCollege of the RedwoodsCommunity college · Public · Eureka8 mi$1,198 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Samoa residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A job hub
Every workday, about 104 people come to Samoa for work
Where Samoa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
106jobs based in Samoa
4%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Samoa
Census-designated place in California, United States
Samoa (formerly Brownsville) is a census-designated place in Humboldt County, California, United States. It is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of Eureka, at an elevation of 23 feet (7 m). Samoa is located in the northern peninsula of Humboldt Bay and is the site of the Samoa Cookhouse, one of the last remaining original lumber camp–style cookhouses. The name Samoa is used interchangeably to refer to the peninsula it occupies. The population was 229 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 23 ft
- ZIP code
- 95564
- Area code
- 707
Questions about Samoa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Samoa, CA a good place to live?
Samoa has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.