2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Redwood City, CA vs Arcata, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Arcata older or younger than people in Redwood City?
- The Median Age in Arcata is 10.1 years younger than in Redwood City.

Are housing costs cheaper in Arcata or Redwood City?
- Arcata housing costs are 72.4% less expensive than Redwood City housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Arcata or Redwood City?
- The average commute for residents of Arcata is 8.3 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Redwood City.

Things to do in Redwood City?
Redwood City, California is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and provides plenty of shopping opportunities as well as access to some gorgeous nature parks like Edgewood Open Space Preserve.

Things to do in Arcata?
Nestled on California’s North Coast just south of Eureka, Arcata offers visitors an array of natural beauty from redwood forests to rugged coastline along with world-class dining experiences like the Alice Copper Restaurant & Brewery. The city hosts a variety of cultural attractions year round from art galleries to live music venues making it a great destination for everyone.

 Redwood City, CAArcata, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock19,038329,725,481
 Median Income$134,287  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock26.938.4
 Avg. Home Price$1,610,500  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.7%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time25.32  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Redwood City    11 Reviews

(Caveating everything with "it's Bay Area prices") Redwood City is a large sprawling town where you can find just about anything you're looking for. There's great  More

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The entire Bay Area is ridiculous. You can't compare it to other areas. RWC is reasonably cheap for the area. I pay $5K for a rental townhouse in one of the many  More

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Lovely weather. Safe place to live (I live in Redwood Shores). The only thing that keeps this place from being 5 stars is the cost of housing. When you have to pay an  More

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Reviews for Arcata    17 Reviews

Pros: Nature hikes Cons: One of highest crime rates in the nation. Opioid epidemic going on (you’ll regularly witness drug deals and ppl doing drugs) No  More

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It takes a special set of preferences to select Arcata. Is this you? - You love clouds and fog. You are happy if you see the sun maybe 10-20 times a year. - Chilly  More

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Over 11 years ago

I've lived in Humboldt for over 30 yrs and know all the areas well. Arcata is the jewel of Humboldt due to having a university and many liberal creative people. There is  More

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