Willits, California
Willits is a city of 4,920 people in Mendocino County, California, founded in November 19, 1888.
Why visit Willits
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 28 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Noyo Theater, Larsen Family House and Willits station.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; December lows average 32°F.
Weather in Willits
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Willits
Willits (formerly Little Lake and Willitsville) is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) north-northwest of Ukiah, at an elevation of 1,391 feet (424 m). The population was 4,988 at the 2020 census. Willits is at the center of Mendocino County and at the beginning of the county's extensive redwood forests as approached by Highway 101 from the south.
From the Wikipedia article Willits, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks6
Larsen Family House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
House in Willits, California
Willits station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Railway station in Willits, California
Dr. Raymond Babcock House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Mendocino County Museum
Museum · 0.6 mi
400 East Commercial Street, Willits
Mo-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa,Su 12:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes28
Northspur Brewing Co
Bar and pub · American · 0.7 mi
101 North Main Street, Willits
April May's Drive Thru Coffee
Cafe · 0.7 mi
Drive through coffee place.
110 North Main Street, Willits
16 more on the map.
History
Hiram Willits arrived from Indiana in 1857 to settle in the Little Lake Valley. Kirk Brier founded the settlement on Willits' land. Willits was originally called "Willitsville". Later, when the post office opened in 1861, it was called "Little Lake". The name changed to Willits in 1874. The community incorporated in 1888.
Little Lake was the scene of a legendary feud between the Frost and Coates families. The Frost family supported the Confederacy during the American Civil War, and the Coates family supported the Union. Both families were passionate in their beliefs. On October 16, 1867, Election Day, the long-running feud came to a head. A brawl turned into a shootout in front of Baechtel's store, leaving Abraham Coates, Henry Coates, Albert Coates, Thomas Coates and Elisha Frost dead on the street. Three others were wounded.
From the History section of Willits, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Willits Branch Library;Willits Branch Mendocino County Library
Library · 0.6 mi
390 East Commercial Street, Willits
Healthcare2
Map of Willits
94 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 33°F | 9.2 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 34°F | 8.6 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 36°F | 7.1 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 37°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 69°F | 40°F | 1.8 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 44°F | 0.5 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 48°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 46°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 42°F | 0.4 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 37°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 35°F | 5.8 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 32°F | 9.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Willits 1 Ne (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Mendocino County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-16: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ukiah Municipal Airport (UKI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Brooktrails 4 mi northwest, about 6 min by car
- Ukiah 19 mi south, about 31 min by car
- Talmage 21 mi southeast, about 34 min by car
- Fort Bragg 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Covelo 28 mi north, about 45 min by car
- Upper Lake 29 mi southeast, about 47 min by car
- North Lakeport 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Nice 33 mi southeast, about 53 min by car
- Lakeport 34 mi southeast, about 55 min by car
- Kelseyville 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- CWR 64 at Willits station, October 2023, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.