The Town FilesCold Springs, California
Community in El Dorado County · population 556 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $359,600
- Household income
- $73,578
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 57.9
Cold Springs is a community of 556 people in El Dorado County, California. The median home is worth $359,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 75% of California towns, quieter than 72% of California towns.
How Cold Springs 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 Cold Springs is worth $359,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $73,578, which is more affordable than 78% of California towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cold Springs | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $359,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | — | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $73,578 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cold Springs
| People | Cold Springs | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 9.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 27.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Cold Springs
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 36.4°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 58 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Springs since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on December 24, 2015 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 18, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on November 15, 2015.
Severe weather in El Dorado County since 1996
El Dorado County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2022 | Fire | FM-5453: Mosquito Fire |
Jobs and pay in El Dorado County
El Dorado County had 58,585 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,226 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Cold Springs itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Cold Springs
1 public school with 245 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Alternative Program (CAP) (charter) | K-8 | 245 | 22.3 |
Towns near Cold Springs
- Coloma, CA4.0 mi · 521 people · home $460,900
- Diamond Springs, CA4.2 mi · 11,345 people · home $423,400
- Placerville, CA4.2 mi · 10,747 people · home $473,100
- Shingle Springs, CA6.5 mi · 4,660 people · home $744,900
- Cameron Park, CA7.9 mi · 18,881 people · home $667,900
- Camino, CA10.4 mi · 1,871 people · home $498,900
- El Dorado Hills, CA10.6 mi · 50,547 people · home $909,500
- Auburn Lake Trails, CA11.2 mi · 3,388 people · home $560,300
Cold Springs questions
Is Cold Springs, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cold Springs scores better for retirees than 69% of California towns and quieter than 72%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.9).
How much does a house cost in Cold Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Cold Springs is valued at $359,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,578, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Cold Springs?
July highs average 90.7°F and January lows 36.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does Cold Springs get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on December 24, 2015. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)