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Living in
Fortuna.
About
Life in Fortuna
Fortuna is a community of 12,413 people in California. The median household income is $62,289, median rent runs about $1,168 per month, and median home values are around $379,700. The unemployment rate is 5.3%.
Fortuna at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.2%
Foreign-Born
14.1%
Broadband Internet
88.8%
of households
Population Growth
-4.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fortuna: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fortuna, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (72.4%), and 18.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.7%
of residents
65 and Older
17.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.9%
of households
Married Couples
38.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.45
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 43% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fortuna
In Fortuna, rent runs 43% below the CA average, and home values are 48% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,939
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $407,483 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Fortuna
Unemployment in Humboldt County, which includes Fortuna, is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Fortuna: Humboldt County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Humboldt County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Fortuna Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.8 min avg
How Fortuna residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fortuna, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport (ACV)
Regional airport · few flights135k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 44% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fortuna runs 44% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
183
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,356
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fortuna Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Humboldt County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Humboldt County, which includes Fortuna, the most common type is winter weather, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Heavy Rain | $47,500 |
| 2024 | 30 | High Wind | $113,000 |
| 2023 | 30 | Winter Weather | $10.2M |
| 2022 | 20 | Winter Weather | $64,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Winter Weather | $10,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Winter Weather | $750 |
| 2019 | 30 | Winter Weather | $22,500 |
| 2018 | 17 | Winter Weather | $1,100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
245 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Humboldt County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Humboldt County, which includes Fortuna, is typically good — 285 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
285
per year
Moderate Days
80
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Humboldt County, county-wide
Climate70°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fortuna has cool summers (avg high 70°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
70°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.7"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
6
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 43°F | 8.59" |
| Feb | 58°F | 43°F | 7.83" |
| Mar | 59°F | 44°F | 6.93" |
| Apr | 62°F | 45°F | 3.89" |
| May | 64°F | 49°F | 1.91" |
| Jun | 67°F | 51°F | 0.57" |
| Jul | 70°F | 54°F | 0.14" |
| Aug | 72°F | 54°F | 0.05" |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 0.47" |
| Oct | 69°F | 48°F | 2.38" |
| Nov | 61°F | 45°F | 5.23" |
| Dec | 55°F | 42°F | 9.68" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fortuna
Fortuna has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sempervirens
Psychiatric · ER available · 13.5 mi away · Eureka
Providence St Joseph Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.7 mi away · Eureka
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fortuna
Fortuna's student/teacher ratio is 18.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 24.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Redwood National and State Parks, 55 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fortuna
Fortuna has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Redwood National and State Parks (55 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Redwood National and State Parks
National and State Parks
55 mi awayWhiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
81 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fortuna
Fortuna Library
775 14th St., Fortuna
Cities Near Fortuna
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fortuna?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fortuna FAQ
Is Fortuna, California affordable?⌄
Fortuna's median rent is $1,168/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $62,289/year. Median home value is $379,700.
Is Fortuna, California safe?⌄
Fortuna's violent crime rate was 183 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1356 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fortuna, California?⌄
Humboldt County, which includes Fortuna, has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fortuna, California?⌄
The cost of living in Fortuna is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,168/month and median household income is $62,289/year. The median home value is $379,700. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fortuna, California?⌄
The average commute in Fortuna is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from