The Town FilesClearlake, California
City in Lake County · population 16,685 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,200
- Household income
- $41,867
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.8
Clearlake is a city of 16,685 people in Lake County, California. The median home is worth $214,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 83% of California towns, better for cycling than 77% of California towns.
How Clearlake ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clearlake is worth $214,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $41,867, which is more affordable than 74% of California towns. Median rent is $1,240 a month. 59.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clearlake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,240 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $41,867 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.8% | — |
Who lives in Clearlake
| People | Clearlake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Clearlake
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 32.6°F. About 29.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 72 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Clearlake since 1950.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 8, 2024 | Fire | FM-5536: Boyles Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2021 | Fire | DR-4619: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 17,522 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,849 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Clearlake itself the ACS puts it at 14.8%.
Public schools in Clearlake
5 public schools with 1,848 students, about 26.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomo | K-7 | 711 | 26.3 |
| Obsidian Middle | 6-8 | 586 | 29.3 |
| Burns Valley | K-7 | 523 | 27.5 |
| Clearlake Creativity | K-12 | 21 | 7.0 |
| Blue Heron | 9-11 | 7 | 7.0 |
Towns near Clearlake
- Clearlake Oaks, CA4.4 mi · 2,551 people · home $250,900
- Clearlake Riviera, CA4.8 mi · 3,410 people · home $328,500
- Lucerne, CA9.9 mi · 3,266 people · home $243,500
- Kelseyville, CA10.7 mi · 3,382 people · home —
- Hidden Valley Lake, CA11.8 mi · 6,235 people · home $394,800
- Lakeport, CA16.5 mi · 5,026 people · home $333,800
- Nice, CA16.5 mi · 2,929 people · home $172,800
- North Lakeport, CA17.2 mi · 3,547 people · home $410,300
Clearlake questions
Is Clearlake, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clearlake scores better for retirees than 30% of California towns and quieter than 51%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Clearlake?
The median owner-occupied home in Clearlake is valued at $214,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,867, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,240 a month.
What is the weather like in Clearlake?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 32.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Clearlake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Clearlake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)