Mendocino State Hospital, 1900
Talmage’s story
135 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,141 in 2000, 986 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 4 maps from 1920 on.
- 1891Talmage is settled
TalmageCA
Photo: Missvain · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,128
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$438K
Census ACS
Household income
$45K
median
Median age
29.8
years
Jobs based here
363
Balanced
Is Talmage a good place to live?
The best of Talmage’s subject grades is a B for walkability; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Talmage’s average trip to work is 14 minutes, below both the California town median (28 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 73 of California’s 1,056 towns score lower on incomes. Homes are expensive, about $438K for a typical one and 6.4 times the Ukiah area’s $68K median household income. Talmage’s trail density is 2.6 miles per square mile, above both California’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). Talmage has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Talmage stand out
Where Talmage beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Small town
1,128 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Talmage grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Talmage is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingDOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.8 of 20; 3.7% of households have no car; 17.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsC+Open →HealthAdventist Health Ukiah Valley 2.7 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Talmage: who provides what
Talmage is unincorporated, so Mendocino County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRogina Water Company Inc.1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% 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 code9548295482 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 Talmage.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Talmage
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities.
98risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesDrought
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Talmage fall behind 61% of California districts
One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
39%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendocino County ROPLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Climate
Talmage has mild winters and hot summers
Talmage has mild winters and warm summers. Talmage’s July high is 91°F.
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–57°
Spring42–69°
Summer53–88°
Fall45–75°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Talmage stands out in California and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
The median household income in Talmage is $45,000. Since 2013, Talmage has added 36 jobs, to 363 in 2023. 23% of residents live below the poverty line in Talmage.
1%work in town
| Talmage | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Talmage1%
Ukiah31%
Santa Rosa5%
Willits2%
Sacramento2%
5 mi
median commute distance
363
jobs based in Talmage
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB−
Health in Talmage trails 54% of U.S. towns
Talmage beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 15% of Talmage adults have diabetes.
46%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Talmage | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 29% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better24 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Talmage | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.2% | 71.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 6.8% | 5.1% |
Adventist Health Ukiah Valley
2.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade D
A home in Talmage sells for about $360K at the median
$360Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in March
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsC−
Talmage has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
4.2 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,014 acres
4.2 mi
of trails · 2.6 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Talmage
17pages on Talmage
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Talmage
DHARMA REALM BUDDHIST UNIVERSITYUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · TalmageIn townMendocino CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ukiah5.3 mi$1,423 in-state tuition
College town 22 of every 100 Talmage residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A shrinking town
Talmage has shrunk 13% from 2010 to 2020
1,130 counted in 2010 and 986 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
About Talmage
Place in California, United States
Talmage (variant, Talmadge) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mendocino County, California, United States. Talmage is located 2.5 miles (4 km) east-southeast of Ukiah, at an elevation of 627 feet (191 m). The population was 986 at the 2020 census, down from 1,130 in 2010. It lies in the southeastern part of the Ukiah Valley and is home to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, one of the largest Chan Buddhist temples in the United States. The town's name honors early settler Junius Talmage.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 627 ft
- ZIP code
- 95481
- Area code
- 707
Questions about Talmage
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Talmage, CA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $438,000, 43% below the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.