Population 90,244 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mendocino County
Household size in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, Mendocino County sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in California overall, where it has 3.01 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.52, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.7 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Mendocino County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 41.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Mendocino County (11.4%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mendocino County
Renters in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 43.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.1% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.3% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Mendocino County rent their homes (38.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Still, renters make up a smaller share here than in California as a whole (44.1%). Nearly half of owners (48.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Mendocino County: 15.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Mendocino County was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $909 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,044 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,214 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,445 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$536 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mendocino County pays $1,445 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $536 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mendocino County
Bachelor's degrees in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.3% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.7% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Mendocino County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.5% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.4% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in Mendocino County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Even so, the rate is higher than in California as a whole (84.2%). The share with a diploma is up 3.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mendocino County
| Period | Mendocino County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Mendocino County: 9.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Mendocino County has higher unemployment than the great majority of California counties. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mendocino County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendocino County | 2.64 | 44.3 | 11.4% | 38.3% | 15.9% | 1977 | $1,445 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 9.4% |
| Colusa County | 3.04 | 36.7 | 14.4% | 37.8% | 8.1% | 1980 | $1,189 | 15.3% | 73.4% | 9.3% |
| Sutter County | 3.05 | 38.7 | 13.8% | 38.7% | 6.0% | 1982 | $1,627 | 20.8% | 79.8% | 7.4% |
| Yuba County | 3.00 | 35.8 | 16.1% | 36.5% | 7.6% | 1988 | $1,549 | 18.4% | 85.1% | 7.3% |
| Nevada County | 2.40 | 50.2 | 8.1% | 24.5% | 15.9% | 1982 | $1,836 | 41.0% | 94.4% | 5.5% |
| Carson City | 2.39 | 43.0 | 13.1% | 37.7% | 6.5% | 1984 | $1,363 | 23.0% | 88.4% | 6.5% |
| Storey County | 2.17 | 53.6 | 7.6% | 3.9% | 7.1% | 1985 | $1,019 | 31.4% | 90.4% | 6.1% |
| Lyon County | 2.65 | 44.0 | 11.2% | 23.3% | 7.0% | 1996 | $1,439 | 16.6% | 87.8% | 6.2% |
| White Pine County | 2.20 | 43.8 | 9.4% | 24.6% | 17.6% | 1964 | $943 | 13.1% | 86.8% | 6.6% |
| Millard County | 3.00 | 34.7 | 9.3% | 18.2% | 14.3% | 1973 | $861 | 24.2% | 91.8% | 5.3% |
| Sanpete County | 3.09 | 33.4 | 8.3% | 25.7% | 13.1% | 1980 | $980 | 23.7% | 92.1% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Arecibo Municipio, PR · Campbell County, KY · Burke County, NC · Buchanan County, MO · Bannock County, ID · Barrow County, GA · Marshall County, AL · Polk County, OR · Ozaukee County, WI · Orangeburg County, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mendocino County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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