The Town FilesMcKinleyville, California
Community in Humboldt County · population 16,262 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $457,600
- Household income
- $73,327
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 63°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 41.1
McKinleyville is a community of 16,262 people in Humboldt County, California. The median home is worth $457,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more seaside character than 92% of California towns, hipper than 87% of California towns, better for young professionals than 77% of California towns.
How McKinleyville ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in McKinleyville is worth $457,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.2 times the median household income of $73,327, which is more affordable than 55% of California towns. Median rent is $1,607 a month. 62.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | McKinleyville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $457,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,607 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $73,327 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 62.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in McKinleyville
| People | McKinleyville | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in McKinleyville
July highs average 63.4°F and January lows 40.5°F. About 46.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of McKinleyville since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 29, 1958 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 29, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on December 10, 2015.
Severe weather in Humboldt County since 1996
Humboldt County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Humboldt County
Humboldt County had 51,858 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,212 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in McKinleyville itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in McKinleyville
6 public schools with 1,631 students, about 19.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinleyville High | 9-12 | 549 | 16.6 |
| McKinleyville Middle | 6-8 | 338 | 22.5 |
| Dow's Prairie Elementary | K-2 | 317 | 21.1 |
| Morris Elementary | 3-5 | 268 | 22.3 |
| Fieldbrook Elementary | K-8 | 111 | 18.5 |
| Mad River High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 48 | 24.0 |
Towns near McKinleyville
- Arcata, CA6.2 mi · 18,857 people · home $484,600
- Eureka, CA11.4 mi · 26,512 people · home $404,500
- Myrtletown, CA11.6 mi · 4,882 people · home $453,400
- Cutten, CA13.3 mi · 3,223 people · home $471,300
- Bayview, CA13.9 mi · 2,619 people · home $416,400
- Pine Hills, CA15.7 mi · 3,186 people · home $487,800
- Humboldt Hill, CA17.0 mi · 3,498 people · home $406,500
- Hoopa, CA21.7 mi · 3,167 people · home $248,500
McKinleyville questions
Is McKinleyville, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, McKinleyville scores better for retirees than 65% of California towns and quieter than 50%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in McKinleyville?
The median owner-occupied home in McKinleyville is valued at $457,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,327, so homes cost about 6.2 times income. Median rent is $1,607 a month.
What is the weather like in McKinleyville?
July highs average 63.4°F and January lows 40.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does McKinleyville get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of McKinleyville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 29, 1958. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)