2021 Best Places to Live in Humboldt County

Arcata

• Town in California
• Rating 3.7 out of 5  176 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful city with everything in walking distance including Humboldt State University, Arcata Plaza, and redwood forest!

The town that birthed Spongebob Squarepants.
Read 176 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade A

• 18,178 Population

Cutten

• Town in California
• Rating 3.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: A more quiet side of town, Cutten is home to many local businesses including places to eat and go grocery shopping. Growing up here provides the opportunity for diverse socialization especially through the local school district. I believe that if I had grown up somewhere other than here, I would not be the person I am today.
Read 4 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• 2,919 Population

McKinleyville

• Town in California
• Rating 3.9 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: It's a nice small town next to the beach. I love that stores are close by and there are eco-friendly options in most places. It is bicycle and pedestrian-friendly. There are a few parks nearby and many trails to hike. Many of the parks allow dogs and some trails allow horses. There is a local library next to one of the parks. The landscaping is nice with flowers mulch instead of water-consuming lawns. I would love to see more community and environmentally-consciousness to the area with farmer's markets or composting sites. If you own reptiles or other exotic pets, it may be difficult to find a good pet store with options for them. Eureka and Arcata seem to have a better selection. It would be nice to have local clothing and furniture stores too.
Read 29 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• 17,208 Population

Myrtletown

• Town in California
• Rating 2.5 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• 5,222 Population

Humboldt Hill

• Town in California
• Rating 3 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Humboldt hill is a nice place to live. Above the tsunami zone. High enough that sea level rise will never impact your home. You can walk to some nice ocean views. Many artsy houses. The neighborhood is quiet which i really like. Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown but also centrally located for easy access to most job locations in Humboldt County. Eureka is 10 minutes away, Arcata is 20 minutes away, Fortuna is 20 minutes away.
Read 10 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• 4,315 Population

Eureka

• Town in California
• Rating 3.26 out of 5  111 reviews

Current Resident: Lived here for 3 years.Moved the family from the Bay Area. Its a beautiful coastal town with all the amenities i need. People are generally friendly,theres good schools for kids,its 15 minutes to Humboldt State University and 15 minutes to College of the Redwoods community college. Housing is affordable.Clean air and cool temperatures, easy access to beaches,lakes,rivers and the redwoods. Most things are locally owned.Theres a bunch of great bars and marijuana dispensaries.I see this town growing big time over the next 15 years.Your about 30 minutes from the Arcata airport.Its a 4 hour drive to Redding or Santa Rosa. The parks are usually really pretty and well maintained. Theres the first zoo in California here its really cute with pandas and otters and such. Great hiking,jogging paths. The fairgrounds is here so youll be able to watch events that come through town.Theres a great skatepark too.Crime here is overblown its not bad.Theres no fire fear here either due to the wet climate.
Read 111 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• 26,966 Population

Pine Hills

• Town in California

• grade C+

• grade B

• 3,375 Population

Fortuna

• Town in California
• Rating 3.52 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: I was born in Detroit Michigan, family moved to S. Calif & 27 years later moved here in Humboldt ! The main reason we love Humbolt is it doesn't get blazing hot,but cools down at night! Those L.A. cities and Fresno and San Fran"sicko" can all melt away...my family prefers Fortuna & Eureka anyday.
Read 23 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• 12,210 Population

Bayview

• Town in California
• Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: It is a beautiful coastal town with vibrant and friendly people. The local economy is bustling; renovations and improvements are frequently being made to city roads and buildings. The artwork around town is captivating. It is also nestled into one of the most rare forest ecosystems on the planet. Driving North or South one can find stunning redwood forests and stand in the shadows they cast, in awe.
Read 3 Reviews

• grade C

• grade B minus

• 2,811 Population

Hydesville

• Town in California

• grade C minus

• grade B

• 1,063 Population

Rio Dell

• Town in California
• Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: I chose "It's great" because of the scenery-gorgeous valley of redwoods and river. Rio Dell has some rough areas, but most of the people and the town are quite pleasant. I've lived there almost my whole life. And I'll probably continue there for the rest of it.
Read 1 Review

• grade C minus

• grade B minus

• 3,373 Population

Trinidad

• Town in California
• Rating 5 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Lived here for 3 years, and I’m still in awe every single day that I get to live here. Rent’s not bad, it’s finding places that are available that’s tricky. There’s several RV parks, so your best bet would be getting an RV or camper and renting a space.

I’ve been all over the country, and I guarantee you won’t find another coastal town more beautiful, peaceful, and amazing than Trinidad!
Read 3 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• 324 Population

Blue Lake

• Town in California
• Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: It's a nice little town with an interesting feel. It feels and is literally quite rural, even compared to the rest of Humboldt county. I grew up here, walking along the river, watching the elk herds migrate through, and riding horses along the trails. You really can't beat the natural wonders this area has to offer. As a rural town, though, there are a few things it lacks, like diversity and the amount of funding a larger town would get. This means that there are smaller things that just have to get overlooked, like the potholes. Overall, I love this town a lot and it's a wonderful area.
Read 2 Reviews

• grade B

• grade A minus

• 902 Population

Manila

• Town in California

• grade B

• grade A minus

• 793 Population

Big Lagoon

• Town in California

• grade B

• grade B+

• 100 Population

Fieldbrook

• Town in California

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• 880 Population

Redway

• Town in California
• Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade C+

• grade C+

• 1,358 Population

Ferndale

• Town in California
• Rating 4.25 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Ferndale is the ideal Mayberry type of town. Overall, it's a great little town. Main Street is full of historic Victorian-era buildings, surrounded by lovely farm countryside, backed up by mountains, and only 5 miles from the beach. The climate is very mild year round. Summers are the naturally air-conditioned "English" type where the thermometer struggles to get to 72 degrees. 3 days out of 5, you will have to find a way to get along with the famous Coastal Northern California fog, though, and I feel sorry for the tourists who visit here on those days. I thought this was California? What happened to summer? LOL. Anyway, when we get a sunny day, it is absolutely glorious and all the more appreciated. Tourist tip: get here in the late morning when it's sunny and warm and the fog hasn't blown in yet. Or call the Red Front Store to ask about the weather.
Read 4 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• 1,377 Population

Loleta

• Town in California
• Rating 2.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I really love the fact that it is a very small close community, everyone just about knows everyone. It seems to be pretty safe and free from criminal activity for the most part. Raising a child here is a very good idea, and the local casino has a very large employee count so lots of jobs are available. Very clean comfortable living.
Read 3 Reviews

• grade C

• grade B minus

• 632 Population

Willow Creek

• Town in California
• Rating 1 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade C

• grade C minus

• 1,513 Population

Orick

• Town in California

• grade C

• grade B+

• 389 Population

Garberville

• Town in California
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Former Resident: It's a rural town. You just have to drive a bit east of town. Townspeople are very nice & neighborly.
Read 1 Review

• grade C minus

• grade C+

• 913 Population

Miranda

• Town in California

• grade D+

• grade C+

• 605 Population

Shelter Cove

• Town in California
• Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: Our oceanside village has only one road in. The terrain is rugged, wild, and beautiful. The community is a mix or retired people, families, and some single and young people. The economy has been mainly based on fishing, with a boom in construction for awhile.
Read 2 Reviews

• grade D+

• grade C+

• 580 Population

Benbow

• Town in California

• grade D minus

• grade C+

• 118 Population