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Point Arena vs Etna

181 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (11× in Etna) and property tax bill (2.4× in Point Arena).

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Point Arena, CAA history townCalifornia · 789 people
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Etna, CAHomes around $281KCalifornia · 642 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Point ArenaA history town
HistorySettled in 190812 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 29%of CA districts Housing$562K typical home27% below the CA typical home All about Point Arena →
EtnaHomes around $281K
Housing$281K typical home63% below the CA typical home Work279 jobsbased in Etna, a regional job hub All about Etna →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid11×
Etna has the more walkable street grid
Etna 105Point Arena 9.5
Property tax bill2.4×
Tax bills are bigger in Point Arena
Point Arena $3,667Etna $1,544
Home values2×
Homes cost more in Point Arena
Point Arena $436,000Etna $221,200
Age 65++16.3 pts
Etna has more people 65 and up
Etna 28.2%Point Arena 11.9%
Trails2.1×
Etna has more miles of trail
Etna 8.0 miPoint Arena 3.8 mi
Conserved land+12.7 pts
Point Arena has more conserved land
Point Arena 15.1%Etna 2.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,700 more a month in Point Arena

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Point Arena$3,340/mo
Typical home $562K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,917/mo · Housing →
Etna$1,640/mo
Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $859/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,700 a month, about $20,400 a year, between Point Arena and Etna.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
CPoint ArenaBetter than 29% of districts in the state BEtnaBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Point ArenaEtna
Snow a year—4″
January low—28°F
July high—90°F
Growing season (days)—135d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd99th
Outdoors & history
Point ArenaEtna
Trails4 mi8 mi
Conserved land15.1%2.4%
Settled19081878
National Register places12—
Archive photos127
Community
Point ArenaEtna
Library hours a week39 hrs26 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

181 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Point ArenaCAEtnaCA
Point Arena ↔ Etna181 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Point ArenaEtna
People
Population 789Highest 642Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -8% CA: +6.1%
Median age 36.5±5.4Lowest 4% below CA 48.7±11.5Highest 28% above CA
Etna and Point Arena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.4%±6.5Highest CA: 22% 12.9%±9.3Lowest CA: 22%
Point Arena and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.9%±5.7Lowest CA: 15.7% 28.2%±6.7Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.9%Lowest CA: 37.1% 30.2%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±2.5Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.6%±4Highest CA: 7.6%
Etna and Point Arena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $108,095±$49kHighest 9% above CA $49,063±$24kLowest 51% below CA
Point Arena and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $436,000±$21kHighest 41% below CA $221,200±$50kLowest 70% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,917±$954Highest 6% below CA $859±$132Lowest 58% below CA
Point Arena and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,667Highest 28% below CA $1,544Lowest 70% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.9%±13.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 70.3%±16.9Highest CA: 55.3%
Etna and Point Arena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.1%Lowest CA: 12% 18%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.7%Lowest CA: 55.9% 61.2%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest same as CA 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 33% below CA 22 minHighest 24% below CA
Work from home 14.3%±8Highest CA: 17.2% 4.1%±4.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Point Arena and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.3%Lowest 14.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.48Lowest 1.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Manchester (6%)Yreka (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in EtnaFew work in Point Arena
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 15.1%Highest 2.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.8 miLowest 8.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.7 miLowest 10.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 9.5Lowest 105Highest
Schools
School district Arena Union Elementary · Point Arena Joint Union HighScott Valley Unified
High school in town Point Arena HighEtna Union High
Students per teacherat that high school 10.5Lowest 13.0Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Point Arena neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Point Arena’s Town Square.

Etna neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Missing Local Spots

1 neighbor in Etna can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Point Arena and Etna

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Towns like Point Arena

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Colma1,636 people · $1.06M homes
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Dorris869 people · $155K homes
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Fort Jones562 people · $229K homes
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Irwindale1,377 people · $709K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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