Moving to
McKinleyville.

All McKinleyville data Compare McKinleyville

17,113people live here $73,327median household incomeNear US average $1,607median rent per month▲ 14% above US $457,600median home value▲ 38% above US

McKinleyville is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

What it's like to live in McKinleyville

McKinleyville is an unincorporated community in California with commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. McKinleyville deals with home prices well above the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Short commutes
Clean air
Highly educated workforce

The not so good

High home prices
High student-teacher ratio
High rent burden for renters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How McKinleyville compares

Median household income

McKinleyville$73,327

California avg$99,122

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

McKinleyville$1,607

California avg$2,036

US$1,413

Median home value

McKinleyville$457,600

California avg$734,700

US$332,700

What it takes to move to McKinleyville

Based on McKinleyville's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$3,214

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,280 a year
58% of McKinleyville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$91,520

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $45,760
Homes cost 6.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 14% above US

$1,607/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,607 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $457,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $457,600 · 58% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

5.3% county unemployment

Unemployment in Humboldt County is 5.3%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Humboldt County (county-wide)

Safety

246 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction

McKinleyville doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.

Property crime 766/100k · Policed by Humboldt County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 19% below US

21 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

76%

Work from home

9.9%

Carpool

9.0%

Other

3.9%

Walk

1.2%

Public transit

0.4%

Climate

Summers are comfortable, with highs around 63°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 40°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforceNear US average

38% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 38% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

5 public schools inside the boundary

There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Redwood National and State Parks (30 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

McKinleyville's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,607/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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