The Gualala population is composed of 1,912 residents. Males make up 936 of the population, and females make up 976. The average age is 47, and there are approximately 1,084 births and 821 deaths each year. The race makeup of the city fluctuates each year, with about one percent of the population being of a particular race. There are 92 races, including American Indian, Filipino, and Spanish.
The population of Gualala City is small, but the town is growing in popularity among tourists. In 1861, Cyrus Robinson filed homestead claims in the area. He built a saloon, hotel, and ferry, and supervised the establishment of the Post Office, Wells Fargo Express, and Western Union. By the end of the 1800s, Gualala had become a commercial hub for the entire area. The town had several other amenities, including a dance school, a Municipal Brass Band, and an Opera House.
The Gualala Town Plan has several mixed-use zoning districts. One of these is the Gualala Highway Mixed Use district. This zoning district is more restrictive than the Commercial district. Table 2.2 compares the commercial development in the city in 1993 with the estimated buildout under the Coastal Element. In the Town Plan, second residential units are permitted. In a Mixed-use district, the land use must be at least 50% residential.
The Gualala River enters the Pacific Ocean 110 miles north of San Francisco. It is a three-hour drive from San Francisco, and the landscape is stunning. The main industry in the area is logging, but the community has many other industries. Aside from logging, the city is largely a tourist town. Gualala is part of the "banana belt" micro-climate. Ocean winds keep fog offshore, which means that the town often enjoys sunny skies.