Mendocino County, CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale
By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.
Mendocino County, California, reaches from the Pacific coast on Highway 1 inland to the Ukiah Valley on US-101 and Round Valley in the north-east; it had an estimated 88,122 residents on July 1, 2025 (Census), four incorporated cities and Ukiah as its county seat. The California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) put the countywide median sale price for existing single-family homes at $480,000 in September 2026, 1.4% above a year earlier and a little over half of California’s $899,720.
Twelve of the 15 towns we cover here are unincorporated, so county Planning and Building Services, not a city hall, decides what can be built or rented. Taxes and rental rules change at each city line, and many rural homes depend on their own well and septic system.
- County seat
- Ukiah
- Population
- 88,122 (July 1, 2025, Census estimate)
- Incorporated cities
- 4: Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Ukiah, Willits
- Median sale price
- $480,000, countywide (Sept 2026, C.A.R.)
- Transfer tax
- $1.10 per $1,000 in total; a city share in Ukiah, Willits and Point Arena
- Wine appellations
- 13 AVAs wholly or partly in the county, plus the North Coast AVA
Mendocino County homes for sale
The listings below cover the whole county, from in-town houses in Ukiah and Fort Bragg to coastal parcels, vineyards and ranches. Narrow them by town, acreage or price in our Mendocino County property search, and read the town guide linked in the table before you book a showing.
What do homes in Mendocino County sell for?
$480,000
Countywide, September 2026, C.A.R.
$527,734
3 months ending August 2026, Redfin
69
August 2026, Redfin (93 a year earlier)
Monthly medians swing in a county this size. C.A.R.’s figure fell from $530,000 in August to $480,000 in September 2026 but stayed above September 2025’s $473,500. Redfin’s own calculation from MLS and public records gives $527,734 for the three months ending August, up 13.5%, on 78 August sales against 70 a year before (Redfin). Town medians in the next table run from about $349,000 in Laytonville’s ZIP code to $755,000 in Manchester’s, and nine of the 15 areas have too few sales for one.
| Measure | Figure | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price, existing single-family homes | $480,000 (September 2025: $473,500) | September 2026, C.A.R. |
| Sale-to-list ratio | 95.8% | August 2026, Redfin |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $512,200 | ACS 2020–2024, Census |
| Owner-occupied rate; median gross rent | 61.7%; $1,317 a month | ACS 2020–2024, Census |
Mendocino County next to its neighbours
| Area | Median sale price, September 2026 (C.A.R.) | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Mendocino County | $480,000 | +1.4% |
| Lake County | $390,000 | +9.4% |
| Humboldt County | $440,000 | −4.3% |
| Sonoma County | $875,000 | +10.1% |
| California | $899,720 | +1.7% |
Mendocino County towns and areas compared
Each Mendocino County town guide has a row, grouped by region, with one dated price figure from that town’s page. Sources and months differ, so read the column as a rough order of prices.
| Town | Setting | Typical property types | Price figure (period, source) | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukiah | Ukiah Valley on US-101; county seat | In-town houses on city utilities; valley parcels in Talmage and Calpella | $538,267 median, ZIP 95482 (August 2026, Redfin; 62 sales) | City |
| Redwood Valley | North of Calpella off US-101 | Rural homes, vineyard parcels, post-2017 rebuilds | $619,818 median, ZIP 95470 (3 months to Sept 2026, Redfin; 6 sales in September) | Unincorporated |
| Potter Valley | Farm valley off Highway 20 | Ranches, orchards, vineyards, rural homes | Too few sales (ZIP 95469, 3 months to Sept 2026, Redfin) | Unincorporated |
| Hopland | US-101 by the Russian River | Village homes on district water and sewer; vineyard and ranch land | Too few sales: one, at $450,000 (3 months to Aug 2026, Redfin) | Unincorporated |
| Willits | North county, Little Lake Valley | In-town houses; Brooktrails lots and homes; rural parcels | $365,643 median, ZIP 95490 (Sept 2026, Redfin; 31 sales) | City (1888) |
| Laytonville | North county, Long Valley on US-101 | Small-town homes; rural acreage on wells and septic | About $349,000 median, ZIP 95454 (3 months to Sept 2026, Redfin; 5 sales in September) | Unincorporated |
| Covelo | North county, Round Valley on State Route 162 | Rural homes, farm parcels and land | Too few sales: one in ZIP 95428 (3 months to Sept 2026, Redfin) | Unincorporated; county rules on fee land; tribal government (Round Valley Indian Tribes) |
| Boonville | Anderson Valley’s service town, Highway 128 | Small in-town lots; rural homes, acreage, vineyard land | Too few sales: 7 in the past year (ATTOM, Oct 2026) | Unincorporated |
| Philo | Mid Anderson Valley | Rural homes, vineyard and orchard parcels, wooded hillsides | Too few sales: 10 in the past year (ATTOM, Oct 2026) | Unincorporated |
| Navarro | North-west end of Anderson Valley | Rural homes on acreage and wooded land | Too few sales; no dependable published median (checked Oct 2026) | Unincorporated |
| Yorkville | Highway 128 hills near Cloverdale | Homes on acreage, ranch and vineyard land | Too few sales: 4 in the year to August 2025 (ATTOM, page updated Aug 30, 2025) | Unincorporated |
| Fort Bragg | Mendocino Coast on Highway 1 | City homes, some in the coastal zone; downtown mixed use | $499,478 median (3 months to June 2026, Redfin; 8 sales in June) | City |
| Elk | South coast village | Village homes on a small water district; coastal parcels on wells | Too few sales: Redfin’s $1.7 million ZIP 95432 median rests on one counted sale (3 months to June 2026), though its sold list shows three closings, $802,000 to $2.8 million, in June–July 2026 | Unincorporated (county coastal rules) |
| Manchester | South coast, Elk to Point Arena | Coastal homes on wells and septic; the Irish Beach subdivision | $755,000 median, ZIP 95459 (3 months to July 2026, Redfin; very few sales) | Unincorporated (county coastal rules) |
| Comptche | Forested hills east of the Town of Mendocino | Rural homes on wooded acreage, timberland, some valley farmland | Too few sales: one on Redfin’s page, period stated as 3 months to January 2026 | Unincorporated |
Inside Ukiah, Willits, Fort Bragg and Point Arena the city sets zoning, rental rules and its own taxes. Everywhere else, county Planning and Building Services issues permits and county Environmental Health handles wells and septic; in Round Valley, that applies to fee land.
What are the main regions of Mendocino County?
These four regions are our groupings, not official planning areas.
The Ukiah Valley and the Highway 101 corridor
Ukiah (16,068 residents, 2025 Census estimate) is the only city in the county that sells its own electricity, and its utility also runs water and wastewater service. The Judicial Council expects its new seven-courtroom courthouse there, begun in February 2025, to be finished in July 2027. North of Calpella, Redwood Valley lost homes in the October 2017 Redwood Valley Fire, and its water district had taken no new connections since 2001 when the Grand Jury reported in 2022. Potter Valley, off Highway 20, farms on Eel River water delivered by its irrigation district, and south on US-101 Hopland‘s village is served by the Hopland Public Utility District.
The north county: Willits, Laytonville and Round Valley
Willits incorporated in 1888 and covers about 2.8 square miles; since the November 2016 bypass, US-101’s through traffic skirts its eastern edge. Brooktrails Township, outside the city, holds roughly 6,600 parcels with Sherwood Road its only access. Laytonville, about 40 miles north of Ukiah, has a county water district and no public sewer. East on State Route 162 lies Covelo. The Round Valley Indian Reservation covers most of the north end of the valley’s water district, so the first check on any parcel is its legal status, fee land or trust land, and then water, septic, access and fire. LAFCo’s 2016 review adds that roughly a third of the land in the district belongs to the Tribes.
Anderson Valley and Highway 128
Highway 128 runs from Cloverdale past Yorkville and down the length of Anderson Valley. Boonville has the valley’s high school, health center, fairgrounds and airport, and its community services district is planning downtown water and sewer systems, estimated at about $26 million and $30 million, after 2016 well tests found what it called “alarming levels of E Coli and nitrates”. Philo has Hendy Woods State Park and 19 of the 30 wineries in the valley’s online directory (October 2026). Beyond Navarro the highway follows the Navarro River through redwood state park land to Highway 1.
The coast and Comptche
Fort Bragg (6,983 residents, 2020 Census) has its own coastal program, a 14% lodging tax and city water from the Noyo River and two gulches; it declared a Stage 4 water emergency in September 2021, and the 300-plus-acre former Georgia-Pacific mill site has no approved development. South on Highway 1, Elk‘s water district serves about 102 developed lots, and Manchester‘s ZIP code includes the Irish Beach subdivision of about 460 parcels; Point Arena is the county’s fourth city. East of the unincorporated Town of Mendocino, Comptche lies in forested hills; the federal rule that created its wine appellation in 2024 describes the valley as surrounded by Timberland Production Zone land.
County-wide rules that affect a Mendocino County purchase
Check these before you weigh price.
Transfer tax by city
The county’s documentary transfer tax is $0.55 per $500 ($1.10 per $1,000), excluding loans that stay on the property (County Code ch. 5.24). Ukiah, Willits and Point Arena levy a city tax at half that rate, which is credited against the county’s: state law requires the credit for a conforming half-rate city tax and splits the proceeds between city and county (R&T Code §11931). The seller customarily pays.
| Where the property is | City tax | Total on a $480,000 sale, no loans assumed |
|---|---|---|
| Ukiah | $0.275 per $500 (1967 ordinance), credited under §11931 | $528, including $264 to the city |
| Willits | $0.275 per $500 (Municipal Code ch. 3.20), credited under §11931 | $528, including $264 to the city |
| Point Arena | $0.275 per $500 (ch. 3.20), credited under the county code | $528; confirm the split with escrow |
| Fort Bragg | No transfer-tax chapter found in the city code | $528, county only |
| Unincorporated county | None | $528 |
Recording adds a $75 SB 2 fee per document unless exempt, and property tax starts at 1% of assessed value plus bond rates that vary across 262 tax rate areas (Auditor-Controller).
Lodging tax (TOT) by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Tax on stays of 30 days or less | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated county | 10%, plus a 1% lodging assessment | County Code ch. 5.20 |
| Ukiah | 10% | Measure W’s increase to 13% failed in November 2024 |
| Fort Bragg | 14% from April 1, 2025 | Measure U, November 2024 (81.5% yes) |
| Point Arena | 12% | Pending: a 14% rate is on the November 3, 2026 ballot, effective April 1, 2027 if approved (city notice) |
| Willits | City tax; rate not confirmed | Published figures disagree; ask City Hall |
Short-term rentals by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Rules we confirmed |
|---|---|
| Inland unincorporated county (Boonville, Hopland, Laytonville, Philo, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, Yorkville, Covelo fee parcels) | No inland ordinance adopted as of October 2026. On February 3, 2026 the supervisors discussed creating an inland short-term rental use type and gave staff direction (item R7). Renting up to two rooms to short-stay guests is an accessory use, with a use permit if the parcel lacks frontage on a publicly maintained road. |
| Unincorporated coastal zone (Elk, Manchester, Irish Beach) | Outside the inland proposal. The Coastal Zoning Code defines a vacation home rental as a whole house let to short-stay guests, but the permit path for a stand-alone one isn’t spelled out; get the county’s answer in writing. |
| Town of Mendocino | No more than 10 vacation home rentals and 20 single unit rentals licensed at once; new vacation home rentals only in the MU and MC districts |
| Fort Bragg | Since 2017, only on upper floors above commercial uses in the Central Business District, with a business licence and minor use permit; the council declined to widen this in January 2024 |
| Point Arena | Business licence (ch. 5.30, 2020); council sets the number outside the commercial core; one per person; none in ADUs |
| Ukiah, Willits | No dedicated city program found; ask city planning about the parcel’s zoning |
Don’t pay for rental income unless the use is allowed on that parcel and any licence passes to you at closing. Recheck the county’s inland short-term rental page before you remove contingencies.
Rent rules
Only 44.7% of Ukiah’s and 46.3% of Fort Bragg’s occupied homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020–2024), so tenants are common. The state cap applies to covered units: 5% plus the change in the cost of living, or 10%, whichever is lower, with exemptions for housing first occupied within the past 15 years and for many houses and condos not owned by corporations, given written notice (Civil Code §1947.12). We haven’t confirmed any city’s own rent or eviction rules, so ask the city before buying a tenant-occupied home.
The coastal zone and the Local Coastal Program
Coastal status follows a mapped boundary, parcel by parcel. Inside it, most new building and many changes of use need a coastal development permit, generally issued by the city or county under a Local Coastal Program (LCP) certified by the Coastal Commission.
| Area | Coastal rules | LCP certified |
|---|---|---|
| Point Arena | City LCP | 1981 |
| Fort Bragg | City coastal code (a separate inland code applies elsewhere) | 1983 |
| Unincorporated coast, including Elk and Manchester | Coastal Zoning Code (County Code Title 20, Division II) | 1992 |
| Town of Mendocino | Mendocino Town Zoning Code (Division III) | 1996 |
| Pygmy Forest segment | No certified LCP; confirm the permit path with the county and the Coastal Commission | Uncertified |
Dates from the Coastal Commission’s October 2020 chart. On the coast an ADU also needs proof of water: Environmental Health runs a coastal water production test for second units. Near the Navarro River mouth and around Comptche, confirm which side of the line a parcel falls on.
Timberland (TPZ) and farmland
TPZ zoning is created by state law, and these rules change what a buyer can do (Government Code §§51100 and following):
| TPZ rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Use (§51115) | Timber and compatible uses, which include a residence necessary to manage the timberland (§51104(h)(6)) |
| Splits (§51119.5) | No parcels under 160 acres without a forester’s joint management plan, a deed restriction and a four-fifths Board vote |
| Leaving TPZ (§§51114, 51120, 51142) | Rolling 10-year term; a normal rezoning takes effect after 10 years, and an immediate one needs a four-fifths vote and a tax recoupment fee |
The inland code also has Forest Land, Rangeland, Agricultural and Rural Residential districts and cannabis combining districts (Division I); an existing grow doesn’t mean a permit or state licence transfers. Ask whether farm land is under a Williamson Act contract: LAFCo noted in 2015 that many parcels around Laytonville take part.
Wells, groundwater and septic
| Area | Water and sewer |
|---|---|
| Ukiah Valley | City utility inside Ukiah; the valley’s groundwater basin (DWR 1-052) is medium priority under state law, with a sustainability plan approved July 27, 2023 |
| Redwood Valley | Water district supplied with surplus Lake Mendocino water that can vanish in dry years, or a well |
| Hopland | Public utility district water and sewer (about 290 sewer connections); its board approved 40% water and 25% wastewater increases after an October 2025 hearing |
| Willits and Brooktrails | City water from Morris Lake and wells; Brooktrails’ own district water |
| Laytonville | County water district in town, near capacity in 2015; no public sewer |
| Covelo | The county water district only monitors groundwater; LAFCo lists four public water systems run by the Round Valley Indian Tribes; limited sewer capacity |
| Boonville | Wells and septic; district systems planned, subject to a Proposition 218 protest process |
| Fort Bragg | City water from the Noyo River, Waterfall Gulch and Newman Gulch |
| Elk; Irish Beach | Small water districts (1957; 1967); septic, not sewer |
| Potter Valley, Philo, Navarro, Yorkville, Comptche, rural Manchester | Private wells or springs and septic (Potter Valley’s district water is for irrigation) |
County Environmental Health permits wells and septic systems, including percolation tests and site evaluations (Environmental Health). Its septic program was approved by the North Coast Regional Water Board on November 14, 2018 (Resolution R1-2018-0052), and we found no inspection required at sale. Ask for the well completion report, a recent flow and water-quality test, the septic permit and its bedroom count, a pumping report, and written confirmation that any district connection can transfer.
Fire hazard zones, AB 38 and insurance
| Fire (CAL FIRE) | Started | Acres | Structures destroyed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood Valley Fire | October 8, 2017 | 36,523 | 543 (nine deaths) |
| Mendocino Complex, incl. the River Fire near Hopland | July 2018 | 459,123 | 280 |
| August Complex | August 2020 | 1,032,648 | 935 |
| Oak Fire, Brooktrails | September 7, 2020 | 1,100 | 56 |
CAL FIRE’s October 2024 list ranks the August Complex first and the Mendocino Complex third among California’s largest wildfires. During the 2026 Anderson Fire it reported Highway 162 closed from the mouth of Round Valley to the Covelo Fire Station until 7 p.m. on August 5 (CAL FIRE). Check the parcel on the state’s hazard map: state-responsibility zones took effect April 1, 2024, and recommended local-responsibility maps, covering the cities, followed in February and March 2025 (State Fire Marshal). In a High or Very High zone, AB 38 requires the seller to provide a defensible-space inspection from the six months before sale, or a written agreement that the buyer obtains one within a year (bulletin). Get insurance quotes early: the FAIR Plan added about 16,000 residential policies statewide in the first quarter of 2026 (CDI).
The Potter Valley Project and Scott Dam
PG&E’s Potter Valley Project diverts Eel River water to a powerhouse in Potter Valley; some irrigates the valley and the rest flows down the East Fork of the Russian River into Lake Mendocino (Russian River Flood Control District). PG&E wants to give it up.
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 1908; 1921–1922 | Cape Horn Dam completed; Scott Dam (Lake Pillsbury) completed and first licence issued |
| April 14, 2022 | Licence expires; annual licences since |
| July 25, 2025 | PG&E files its surrender application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) |
| October 31, 2025 | FERC gives public notice of the application |
| December 2025 | The U.S. Department of Agriculture asks FERC to reject or pause it |
| May 22, 2026 | FERC’s first scoping document; Ukiah meetings June 23–24 |
| September 18, 2026 | Scoping comments close; FERC’s environmental review follows, with no decision date |
The plan removes Scott Dam and most of Cape Horn Dam (FERC); a new pumped diversion would take water mainly in fall, winter and spring, at about 35,000 acre-feet a year on average under a February 2025 agreement. No removal dates have been set. Sonoma Water assumes annual licences until 2035 for planning purposes only; it isn’t a schedule. Summer irrigation in Potter Valley is the open question, and the flood control district cited earlier diversion cuts in Redwood Valley’s 2022 shortfall; see our Potter Valley guide.
Wine appellations and vineyard land in Mendocino County
The federal rules list 13 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) wholly or partly in the county, plus the multi-county North Coast AVA. There is no “Ukiah Valley” or “Sanel Valley” AVA, so check any claim against 27 CFR part 9.
| AVA (27 CFR section) | Where | Established |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson Valley (9.86) | Western county; includes Boonville and Philo; check Navarro parcels | 1983 |
| Yorkville Highlands (9.159) | Hills around Yorkville | 1998 |
| McDowell Valley (9.36) | Drawn on the Hopland map, along State Route 175 in places | 1981 |
| Comptche (9.292) | 1,421.8 acres of valley land (T.D. TTB-192) | Effective May 8, 2024 |
| Redwood Valley (9.153) | East-central interior, north of Calpella | 1996 |
| Potter Valley (9.82) | Potter Valley, with one leg on Highway 20 | 1983 |
| Covelo (9.187) | Surrounds Covelo in Round Valley | 2006 |
| Mendocino Ridge (9.158) | Land at or above 1,200 feet within its boundary | 1997 |
| Mendocino (9.93) | Entirely within the county | 1984 |
| Cole Ranch, Dos Rios, Eagle Peak Mendocino County, Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak | Dos Rios lies at the Eel River’s Middle Fork confluence; Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak extends into Sonoma County | 1983, 2005, 2014, 2011 |
For the 2025 crop, buyers paid Mendocino County growers a base price of $3,338 a ton for Pinot Noir, $2,007 for Zinfandel, $1,819 for Cabernet Sauvignon and $1,295 for Chardonnay (crush report). Before pricing planted land, confirm the irrigation and frost water and any water right, read the grape contracts, and check for TPZ or a Williamson Act contract. Our vineyard real estate hub covers the rest, with guides to buying a vineyard and vineyard due diligence.
Getting around Mendocino County
US-101 runs through Hopland, Ukiah, Willits and Laytonville; Highway 1 follows the coast; Highway 20 links Fort Bragg with Willits and leads east toward Potter Valley; Highway 128 crosses from Cloverdale through Anderson Valley to the coast; and State Route 162 reaches Covelo. The Mendocino Voice reported Highway 128 flood closures in Anderson Valley on December 21, 2025, reopened by 11 a.m. the next day, and near Navarro until around 5 p.m. on February 25, 2026.
- Route 65 runs daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas, from Fort Bragg through Willits, Ukiah and Hopland to Santa Rosa, stopping at the Sonoma County Airport and a SMART station (Mendocino Transit Authority).
- Route 75 links the south coast, Elk, Navarro, Philo and Boonville with Ukiah on weekdays; Route 95 runs daily from Point Arena past The Sea Ranch to Santa Rosa; Routes 20 and 60 connect Willits with Ukiah and Fort Bragg with Navarro River Junction.
- MTA lists no stops in Laytonville, Covelo, Potter Valley, Yorkville or Brooktrails.
Ukiah’s city-owned airport has a 4,400-foot runway and is CAL FIRE’s air attack base.
How Diamond Real Estate Group helps buyers in Mendocino County
Most of the work happens before the offer. We confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction and coastal status, pull the well, septic and permit records, check the fire zone, read any district, TPZ or rental rules, and price from sales with the same water and access.
- How we work with buyers and the buying process.
- Investment property and luxury homes and estates.
- Selling first? See our seller services or get a home valuation.
- Across the county line: Cloverdale and Sonoma County homes for sale.
Mendocino County real estate FAQs
How much do homes cost in Mendocino County?
C.A.R.’s countywide median was $480,000 in September 2026, and Redfin’s was $527,734 for the three months ending August. Town medians run from about $349,000 in Laytonville’s ZIP code to $755,000 in Manchester’s, and most small towns have too few sales for one.
Which cities and towns are in Mendocino County?
Four are incorporated: Ukiah, the county seat, Fort Bragg, Willits and Point Arena. Boonville, Comptche, Covelo, Elk, Hopland, Laytonville, Manchester, Navarro, Philo, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, Yorkville and the Town of Mendocino are among its unincorporated communities.
Is Mendocino County cheaper than Sonoma County?
By C.A.R.’s September 2026 medians, yes: $480,000 against $875,000. A rural Mendocino home can bring costs a city lot doesn’t, such as a well, septic system and private road, so compare what it costs to own; see our Sonoma County guide.
Does any city in Mendocino County charge its own transfer tax?
Ukiah, Willits and Point Arena take a half-rate share, credited against the county’s $1.10 per $1,000, so the total is $528 on a $480,000 sale everywhere. We found no transfer-tax chapter in Fort Bragg’s code.
Can I use a Mendocino County home as a vacation rental?
It depends where. Fort Bragg allows them only above downtown shops, the Town of Mendocino caps licences, Point Arena licenses them, and the inland county had adopted no ordinance as of October 2026. Short stays pay 10% plus 1% in the county, 10% in Ukiah, 14% in Fort Bragg and 12% in Point Arena, where 14% is on the November 3 ballot.
Can I build a home on TPZ timberland?
Only within state TPZ rules, which allow timber and compatible uses, including a residence needed to manage the timberland, and bar splits below 160 acres without a forester’s plan and a four-fifths Board vote. Ask county planning what a new home would need on the parcel.
Is a septic or well inspection required when a home sells?
We found no county requirement in the septic program approved in 2018, so order both. Ask for the well completion report, flow and water-quality tests, the septic permit and a pumping and inspection report.
What does the Potter Valley Project decision mean for buyers?
PG&E filed to surrender the project and remove Scott Dam on July 25, 2025, and FERC closed scoping comments on September 18, 2026 with no decision date. Before paying for irrigated or water-dependent land nearby, ask the irrigation or water district what it expects.
What wine appellations are in Mendocino County?
Thirteen AVAs lie wholly or partly in the county, among them Anderson Valley, Yorkville Highlands, McDowell Valley, Redwood Valley, Potter Valley, Covelo and Comptche, the newest. Check any vineyard against the federal boundary text, and see our vineyard property guide.
Can land on the Round Valley Indian Reservation be sold?
It depends on the land’s legal status. Trust land, held by the United States for a tribe or individual Indians, and restricted land may not be conveyed without the approval of the Secretary of the Interior (25 CFR 152.22). Land that a tribe, business or individual owns as private property is subject to state and local laws, regulations, codes and taxation (Bureau of Indian Affairs). Our Covelo guide explains how to check a parcel.
Which school districts serve Mendocino County?
The county office of education lists 12: Anderson Valley, Fort Bragg, Laytonville, Leggett Valley, Mendocino, Potter Valley Community, Round Valley, Ukiah and Willits unified, plus Arena Union and Manchester Union elementary and Point Arena Joint Union High (MCOE). Confirm each address.
Sources & notes
- Market: C.A.R. September 2026 (released October 19, 2026); Redfin; Census; town figures as dated in the table, from each town page
- Taxes and rentals: County Code ch. 5.24 and ch. 5.20; Ukiah transfer tax; Willits ch. 3.20; Measure U; 2024 results; ch. 20.748; KZYX
- Land and water: Ukiah Valley basin; Hopland rates; AVCSD; LAFCo: Round Valley; BIA; TTB: Comptche AVA
- Fire and the dams: CAL FIRE Redwood Valley, River and Oak fires; PG&E; Agri-Pulse
- Travel: MTA timetable; The Mendocino Voice on Highway 128 (December 2025, February 2026); Ukiah airport
Figures carry their dates where they appear, and we refresh market numbers every quarter. This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice; confirm the rules for a specific property with the agency or tribal office named. Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.
Explore Mendocino County and plan your next move
Share your preferred location, budget, property requirements and timing. We can help organize a focused search, arrange showings or discuss preparing a property for sale.
- Boonville real estate
- Comptche real estate
- Covelo real estate
- Elk real estate
- Fort Bragg real estate
- Hopland real estate
- Laytonville real estate
- Manchester real estate
- Navarro real estate
- Philo real estate
- Potter Valley real estate
- Redwood Valley real estate
- Ukiah real estate
- Willits real estate
- Yorkville real estate
Local resource: Mendocino County planning resources. Check official information for the address you are considering; area descriptions do not establish a property’s permitted uses.
Mendocino County: separate inland and coastal property questions
A Mendocino County purchase should identify the actual planning framework, services, access, and role of the land before treating a setting as a complete ownership description. A city residence, inland acreage, and coastal parcel can require different evidence even where they meet the same room requirements.
Buying: establish which file applies
Compare Ukiah, Willits, and Fort Bragg through the actual jurisdiction and property form. For Boonville, Philo, Potter Valley, and more land-oriented searches, clarify residence, infrastructure, access, and any operating asset included in the proposal.
The county's Planning Division resource distinguishes inland, coastal-zone, and Town of Mendocino planning frameworks. A buyer should establish which applies to the parcel rather than assuming one countywide process answers every future-work question.
Selling: provide an intelligible operating and improvement file
Explain the current residence, significant alterations, detached improvements, services, and continuing agreements. Keep a proposed use outside the account of existing amenities until the evidence supports it. A condition report, an old approval, and a current proposal answer different questions.
The inland/coastal property-file worksheet organizes those questions and links specialist land matters to the existing vineyard due diligence guide when relevant. For Elk, Manchester, or another coastal setting, investigate the specific parcel instead of turning proximity to the ocean into a universal permission or insurance claim.
Continue with Mendocino County buyer representation or seller representation, using the address and intended ownership routine to identify the right investigations.
