Shelter CoveCA
Today 543 people live in this town, first settled in 1892.
Is Shelter Cove a good place to live?
Shelter Cove’s midsummer high is 72°F, where California’s towns sit at 89°F and U.S. towns at 85°F. The biggest park or preserve is King Range National Conservation Area, at 3,645 acres. Shelter Cove has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
543 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Shelter Cove: who provides what
Shelter Cove is unincorporated, so Humboldt County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Shelter Cove.
Natural hazards: very high risk in Shelter Cove, mostly inland flooding
Expected losses in Shelter Cove break down as 43% from inland flooding and 28% from earthquakes. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 96% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Shelter Cove stands out in California and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
One in 5 of Shelter Cove’s working residents works locally. The share of residents in Shelter Cove who live below the poverty line: 25%. Since 2013, Shelter Cove has lost 61 jobs, to 104 in 2023. The top destinations are Redway (8%), Eureka (5%) and Garberville (4%).
| Shelter Cove | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 25% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Shelter Cove has four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 72° and January nights drop to 41°.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, more of Shelter Cove’s adults have been diagnosed with depression
Just over a third of adults have obesity in Shelter Cove. CDC measures, 32 in all: Shelter Cove beats California on 1 and trails on 17. Among adults locally, 19% smoke cigarettes and 27% say their health is fair or poor.
| Shelter Cove | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 11% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 22% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Shelter Cove | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.8% | 71.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.7% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Homes in Shelter Cove sell for about $239K
82% of Shelter Cove households are owner-occupiers.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0% of Shelter Cove is conserved land
In Shelter Cove, the density of trails is 0.2 miles per square mile. 1.0 miles of trail wind through 4 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves locally: 4, covering 4,033 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. King Range National Conservation Area | 0.8 mi | 3,645 |
| 2. King Range Wilderness | 0.1 mi | 335 |
| 3. Rocks and Islands Wilderness | — | 50 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Shelter Cove
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Shelter Cove; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Shelter Cove residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Questions about Shelter Cove
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shelter Cove, CA a good place to live?
Shelter Cove has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.