The Town FilesUkiah, California
City in Mendocino County · population 16,607 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $458,400
- Household income
- $66,160
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.2
Ukiah is a city of 16,607 people in Mendocino County, California. The median home is worth $458,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more walkable than 82% of California towns, hipper than 81% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 79% of California towns.
How Ukiah 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 Ukiah is worth $458,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.9 times the median household income of $66,160, which is more affordable than 42% of California towns. Median rent is $1,331 a month. 44.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ukiah | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $458,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,331 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $66,160 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 44.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Ukiah
| People | Ukiah | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Ukiah
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 37.4°F. About 38.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 61 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 34 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ukiah since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 11, 1983 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 11, 1983.
Severe weather in Mendocino County since 1996
Mendocino County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Mendocino County
Mendocino County had 32,084 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,903 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Ukiah itself the ACS puts it at 9.6%.
Public schools in Ukiah
18 public schools with 5,887 students, about 20.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukiah High | 9-12 | 1,745 | 19.0 |
| Pomolita Middle | 6-8 | 771 | 18.8 |
| Calpella Elementary | K-4 | 477 | 22.7 |
| Yokayo Elementary | K-6 | 440 | 23.2 |
| Frank Zeek Elementary | K-6 | 435 | 22.9 |
| Grace Hudson Elementary | K-5 | 421 | 23.4 |
| Oak Manor Elementary | K-6 | 407 | 21.4 |
| Nokomis Elementary | K-5 | 315 | 21.0 |
| River Oak Charter (charter) | K-8 | 245 | 24.5 |
| Redwood Collegiate Academy (charter) | 7-12 | 133 | 19.0 |
| Sequoia Career Academy (charter) | 4-12 | 127 | 14.1 |
| Ukiah Independent Study Academy | K-12 | 122 | 20.3 |
Towns near Ukiah
- North Lakeport, CA16.3 mi · 3,547 people · home $410,300
- Lakeport, CA16.9 mi · 5,026 people · home $333,800
- Nice, CA18.8 mi · 2,929 people · home $172,800
- Willits, CA19.5 mi · 4,988 people · home $371,100
- Brooktrails, CA22.9 mi · 3,632 people · home $371,700
- Kelseyville, CA23.4 mi · 3,382 people · home —
- Lucerne, CA24.1 mi · 3,266 people · home $243,500
- Cloverdale, CA26.3 mi · 8,996 people · home $619,400
Ukiah questions
Is Ukiah, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ukiah scores better for retirees than 39% of California towns and quieter than 27%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Ukiah?
The median owner-occupied home in Ukiah is valued at $458,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,160, so homes cost about 6.9 times income. Median rent is $1,331 a month.
What is the weather like in Ukiah?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 37.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ukiah get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ukiah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 11, 1983. 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)