Fortuna, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·Fortuna

Humboldt County · Eureka-Arcata · population 12,114

ShrinkingSmall-town feel
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
37
Cooling
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Fortuna stands

Population shrinking 0.8% per year.

Median home $423,158
1-year -2.3%
5-yr CAGR -0.1%
vs 5-yr peak -12.5%
Population -0.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-07$423k$290k$361k$432k$503k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
34/100
Poor remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
39 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
35 · w22%
Distance from peak
37 · w18%
Population growth
33 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
48 · w10%
Long thesis

Fortuna has held up across the cycle: home values at $423,158 with -0.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Fortuna's population is shrinking 0.8% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Fortuna

Fortuna is a city in Humboldt County, California, with an estimated population of 12,114. It anchors the Eureka-Arcata metro area. The population has contracted 0.8% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Fortuna is $423,158 as of 2026-04, down 2.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged -0.1% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 13% below its 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 37 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.

▲ Bull case

○The data is the data: Fortuna has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

●Cooling: -2.3% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
●13% off recent peak — buyers are getting through-the-cycle pricing, not the peak.
●Flat or shrinking population: -0.8% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.

Seller

Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.

Investor

Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Humboldt County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Humboldt County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Fortuna

Cloverdale, CA45 · CoolingWest Hollywood, CA42 · CoolingEureka, CA38 · CoolingEl Cerrito, CA41 · Cooling

Run the numbers for Fortuna

ToolCan I afford Fortuna?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Fortuna rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Fortuna to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolFortuna cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
60° / 41°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
258
~71% of year
Annual precip
22″ rain
8″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very high
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Fortuna listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Eureka-Arcata area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$91,500
California state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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