Is Crescent City, CA a Good Place to Live?
Crescent City is a small town of 6,379 in California, with a median household income of $39,812 and a 7.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Crescent City stands out for short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Crescent City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Crescent City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 103.6Crescent City's overall cost of living index is 103.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Crescent City costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Crescent City, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $281,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,122 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $39,812 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeCrescent City's violent crime rate is 1386.0 per 100,000 residents — 265% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Crescent City is served primarily by Del Norte County Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Crescent City, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Del Norte County Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 8 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 69.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Crescent City sees average highs of 56.2°F in January and 63.0°F in July, with 58.0 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Crescent City, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.2°F |
| Average High — July | 63.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Crescent City, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,379 | — |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.5% | 16.8% |