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Arcata, California is a small redwood-coast town of around 19,000 people that runs on its university and its trees in roughly equal measure. Cal Poly Humboldt sits on a hillside above downtown, and its students give the place a college-town pulse you feel the moment class lets out. Life centers on Arcata Plaza, the grassy public square ringed by shops and cafes, with the redwoods of the Arcata Community Forest a short walk uphill and the Arcata Marsh and Humboldt Bay just below town. Foggy, green, and proudly offbeat, this is a place where students bike everywhere and the farmers market is a weekly ritual. Living here as a student means a walkable town that feels equal parts coastal and crunchy, minutes from campus.
These streets put you within walking distance of campus, cafes, and the weekly farmers market, and it is the most walkable, social part of town.
Directly below campus toward the bay is classic student territory, quieter but still an easy bike ride in.
About eight miles north, it trades the college bustle for more sun, bigger places, and a calmer pace, which suits students who would rather commute.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Arcata.
Your student JackPass gets you free rides on the Redwood Transit System and the Arcata and Mad River Transit System, which connect Arcata to Eureka, McKinleyville, and campus. For longer hauls beyond walking and biking range, these buses do the heavy lifting. The free pass makes transit a genuine everyday option for students.
Arcata is built for getting around without a car, and the town is compact and flat near downtown, so walking and biking handle most trips. The Arcata Community Forest and Humboldt Bay Trail give you car-free routes too. The city and Cal Poly Humboldt run a bike-share program with docking stations on campus and around town.
A car helps if you want to explore the coast or shop beyond town, but plenty of students get through the year on two wheels and a bus pass. Most students do not need a car day to day. When you do drive, parking is usually easy in a town this size.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
It depends on whether you're sharing and how close you want to be to campus. A room in a shared house near downtown or campus often runs about $600-$900 per month per person, while your own one-bedroom typically lands closer to $1,200-$1,700 per month. Splitting a house with roommates is how most students keep their per-person number down.
Browse student housing near each Arcata-area university.