About Ferndale

Ferndale is a very small coastal city (ie. on the ocean or tidally-influenced rivers) located in the state of California. With a population of 1,421 people and just one neighborhood, Ferndale is the 653rd largest community in California. Much of the housing stock in Ferndale was built prior to World War II, making it one of the older and more historic cities in the country.

Ferndale is neither predominently blue-collar or white-collar, instead having a mixed workforce of both blue-collar and white-collar jobs. Overall, Ferndale is a city of sales and office workers, professionals, and service providers. There are especially a lot of people living in Ferndale who work in office and administrative support jobs (13.81%), sales jobs (12.44%), and teaching (9.56%).

There are quite a few people in the armed forces living in Ferndale, and when you visit or drive around town, you will see military people in and out of uniform, shopping, enjoying life, and being part of the community.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their homes - 8.08% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Ferndale is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The city's good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Ferndale's overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

The city is also nautical, which means that parts of Ferndale are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and tidal rivers. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

As is often the case in a small city, Ferndale doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

Ferndale Information and Demographics

The education level of Ferndale citizens is substantially higher than the average US city or town, as 25.63% of adults in Ferndale have at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Ferndale in 2000 was $21,727, which is middle income relative to California, and upper middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $86,908 for a family of four.

The people who call Ferndale home come from a variety of different races and ancestries. The most prevalent race in Ferndale is White, followed by Native American. Important ancestries of people in Ferndale include English, German, Irish, Italian, Danish, Swiss, Portuguese, Swedish, French, Scottish, and Norwegian.

The most common language spoken in Ferndale is English. Some people also speak Spanish.