The Town FilesSmith River, California
Community in Del Norte County · population 906 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $382,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 69°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 28.1
Smith River is a community of 906 people in Del Norte County, California. The median home is worth $382,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 97% of California towns, more seaside character than 95% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of California towns.
How Smith River 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 Smith River is worth $382,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). 81.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smith River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | — | $1,827 |
| Median household income | — | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Smith River
| People | Smith River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 41.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 0.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.7% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Smith River
July highs average 69.4°F and January lows 42.2°F. About 78.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 2 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Smith River since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on January 20, 1996 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 20, 1996.
Severe weather in Del Norte County since 1996
Del Norte County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tsunami.
| 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Del Norte County
Del Norte County had 8,328 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,835 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Smith River itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Smith River
1 public school with 233 students, about 25.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith River Elementary | K-8 | 233 | 25.9 |
Towns near Smith River
- Fort Dick, CA3.9 mi · 912 people · home $307,400
- Harbor, OR9.5 mi · 2,551 people · home $316,600
- Gasquet, CA10.7 mi · 657 people · home $267,100
- Crescent City, CA11.3 mi · 6,673 people · home $306,500
- Bertsch-Oceanview, CA11.9 mi · 2,520 people · home $191,300
- Brookings, OR13.1 mi · 6,744 people · home $446,700
- Klamath, CA24.7 mi · 1,088 people · home $221,300
Smith River questions
Is Smith River, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smith River scores better for retirees than 87% of California towns and quieter than 97%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.1).
How much does a house cost in Smith River?
The median owner-occupied home in Smith River is valued at $382,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Smith River?
July highs average 69.4°F and January lows 42.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 78.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Smith River get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Smith River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on January 20, 1996. 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)