As of 2002, there were 8,210 employed persons living in Arcatahttp://www.arcatacityhall.org/housing_element/tech_appendix.pdf arcatacityhall.org and an unemployment rate of 7.2%. For many years the timber industry dominated Arcata's economy. Today, the majority of Arcata jobs come from government (including schools and Cal Poly Humboldt), the city's many owner-resident small businesses, some lumber and food manufacturing, and a wide variety of service industries (ranging from professional services to restaurant and hospitality). A large but unmeasurable cannabis economy employs many in Arcata and the surrounding area. The area's economy and population are both growing more slowly than the State of California overall.
