Bigfoot Museum, 2010
Willow Creek’s story
111 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,576 in 1990, 1,720 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
- 1915Willow Creek is settled
Willow CreekCA
Home to 1,076 people, the town was settled in 1915.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Bob Doran from Arcata, USA · CC BY 2.0
Population
1,076
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$306K
−2.1% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
60.7
years
Jobs based here
369
Balanced
Is Willow Creek a good place to live?
Willow Creek’s best subject grades are a B+ for the outdoors and a B for walkability; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. Willow Creek’s typical journey to work is 10 minutes, against 28 minutes in California’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 41 of California’s 1,056 towns score lower on incomes. Homes are expensive, about $306K for a typical one and 5 times the Eureka area’s $61K median household income. 55% of the land in Willow Creek is conserved, against 4.3% in California’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Willow Creek has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Willow Creek stand out
Where Willow Creek beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Small town
1,076 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
SalyerWillow Creek
How Willow Creek grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Willow Creek is from typical.
Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listD−Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →SchoolsBelow the middle of the towns comparedC−Open →HealthMad River Community Hospital 23.6 miles awayCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.6 of 20; 3.4% of households have no car; 23.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsBased on green space, trails and conserved landB+Open →HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonC−Open →
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 Willow Creek: who provides what
Willow Creek is unincorporated, so Humboldt County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWillow Creek C.s.d. water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesHumboldt CountyHumboldt 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 hereHumboldt County Office of ElectionsHumboldt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9557395573 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 Willow Creek.
OutdoorsB+
nearly a third of the land in Willow Creek is protected from building
29 miles of trail wind through 4 parks and preserves. In Willow Creek, the concentration of trails is 1.0 miles per square mile.
54.7%conserved
54.7%
conserved · 10,663 of 19,477 acres
29 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Veterans Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Creekside Park in Willow Creek | — | 4 |
| 3. Candystick Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Willow Creek fall behind 77% of California districts
Its one school is below. The Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified school district runs its public schools. Willow Creek’s only public school teaches 200 students.
23%of CA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Valley ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 200 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade D
Willow Creek’s grade for cost of living is a D
The typical home value in Willow Creek is about $306,000, down 2.1% in a year, 60% below the California typical home. Willow Creek: 62% of households are owner-occupiers.
$306KZillow home value
Typical home value
Willow Creek$306K
California$762K
−2.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
The biggest natural risk in Willow Creek is inland flooding, at a very high overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 55% come from inland flooding and 20% from wildfires. Willow Creek’s FEMA hazard score stands at 99 of 100.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Willow Creek stands out in California and nationally, with the median age higher than most
A third of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, against 37% across California. People 65 and older are 37% of residents (16% statewide); children under 18 are 8% of residents (22% statewide).
60.7median age · CA 37.9
| Willow Creek | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.7 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 29% | 29% |
Willow CreekCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
31%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school31%
Some college21%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s29%
Graduate4%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 22% and 57% women
The Census survey reached too few of Willow Creek’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±17.6 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Willow Creek | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.7% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.1% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 2.1% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 31% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.9% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 16.7% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.3% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.8% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.9% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.9% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 29.3% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.7% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
HealthC
Residents of Willow Creek are less healthy than 70% of U.S. towns
In Willow Creek, 39% of adults have high blood pressure, and 14% have diabetes. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Willow Creek is ahead of California on 4 and behind on 13. 17% of adults report frequent physical distress locally.
30%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Willow Creek | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
4 better15 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Willow Creek | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 10.6% |
| Fewer lonely adults | 31.9% | 37.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 5.1% |
Mad River Community Hospital
23.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Expect four seasons and hot summers in Willow Creek
Its typical July afternoon high comes in at 91°F.
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–52°
Spring41–68°
Summer52–88°
Fall44–72°
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
With 1.3 jobs for every working resident, Willow Creek draws in 306 commuters
The top destinations are Hoopa (10%), Arcata (7%) and Eureka (7%). About one in five of Willow Creek’s working residents works in town. In Willow Creek, the median household income is $47,000. Since 2013, Willow Creek has added 62 jobs, to 369 in 2023.
22%work in town
| Willow Creek | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Willow Creek22%
Hoopa10%
Arcata7%
Eureka7%
Redding3%
28 mi
median commute distance
369
jobs based in Willow Creek
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 61% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Willow Creek
17pages on Willow Creek
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Willow Creek; the nearest are
California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtUniversity or college · Public · Arcata23 mi$8,250 in-state tuitionCollege of the RedwoodsCommunity college · Public · Eureka33 mi$1,198 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Willow Creek residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Get outside
29 miles of trails in Willow Creek
54.7% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
3
Candystick Park3 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Willow Creek
Census-designated place in California, United States
Willow Creek (formerly China Flat) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 1,720 at the 2020 census, up from 1,710 at the 2010 census. The town is located around 30 miles (48 km) from county seat and harbor city Eureka. Willow Creek sits along the Trinity River. Willow Creek is described as a "rugged mountain community nestled in the heart of the Six Rivers National Forest." This area of California is located in the Trinity/Shasta/Cascade Region, near the Oregon border, and is easily reached via State Routes 299 and 96 (the "Bigfoot Scenic Byway"). The town is approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of where the Patterson-Gimlin film…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 31 sq mi
- Elevation
- 610 ft
- ZIP code
- 95573
- Area code
- 530
Questions about Willow Creek
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Willow Creek, CA expensive?
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.