The Town FilesLake California, California
Community in Tehama County · population 3,377 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $352,800
- Household income
- $92,051
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.4
Lake California is a community of 3,377 people in Tehama County, California. The median home is worth $352,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 94% of California towns, easier by car than 94% of California towns, more of a college town than 77% of California towns.
How Lake California 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 Lake California is worth $352,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $92,051, which is more affordable than 93% of California towns. Median rent is $1,606 a month. 81.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake California | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $352,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,606 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $92,051 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake California
| People | Lake California | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lake California
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 37.7°F. About 33.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake California since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EFU, struck on January 3, 2025 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 4, 2000.
Severe weather in Tehama County since 1996
Tehama County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5519: Park Fire |
| 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 |
| August 24, 2021 | Fire | DR-4610: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Tehama County
Tehama County had 19,740 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,144 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Lake California itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Lake California
- Cottonwood, CA6.0 mi · 6,268 people · home $363,000
- Anderson, CA7.8 mi · 11,323 people · home $283,000
- Red Bluff, CA12.9 mi · 14,710 people · home $299,900
- Happy Valley, CA13.3 mi · 4,949 people · home $334,100
- Palo Cedro, CA14.5 mi · 2,931 people · home $551,600
- Redding, CA16.8 mi · 93,611 people · home $382,300
- Bella Vista, CA20.4 mi · 3,641 people · home $464,300
- Shasta Lake, CA23.8 mi · 10,371 people · home $294,400
Lake California questions
Is Lake California, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake California scores better for retirees than 69% of California towns and quieter than 71%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Lake California?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake California is valued at $352,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,051, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,606 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake California?
July highs average 99.9°F and January lows 37.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake California get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake California since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EFU on January 3, 2025. 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)