Willits
What’s happening
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Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
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Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The Willits album
Outdoors in Willits
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
About Willits
City in California, United StatesWillits (formerly Little Lake and Willitsville) is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) north-northwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 1,391 feet (424 m). The population was 4,988 at the 2020 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and at the beginning of the county's extensive redwood forests as approached by Highway 101 from the south. An arch stands in the center of Willits featuring the slogans "Gateway to the Redwoods" and "Heart of Mendocino County". The arch is the repurposed second version of the Reno Arch. Reno donated the arch to Willits in 1995.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How Willits ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in Willits
The typical Willits home is worth about $348,000, down 6.1% in a year, 54% below the California typical home.
Only 1 sale in May 2026, too few for a market read. The typical value is the steadier guide.
Safety in Willits
Safety Grade C+
Willits reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 62% report less. Within California, it does better than 63% of towns.
Work & commute in Willits
Full picture →40% of Willits’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Ukiah (13%), Santa Rosa (2%) and Fort Bragg (2%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
Health in Willits
Health Grade C−
Healthier than 25% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.
Compared with California
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 15 are too close to call.
What stands out
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Natural hazards in Willits
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities.
Climate in Willits
Full climate →Willits has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.
Schools in Willits
All Willits schools →School Grade C-
The public schools Willits’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 78% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.
Willits’s library
Library details →Famous people from Willits
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Where Willits is
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