The Town Files

Lake Wildwood, California

Community in Nevada County · population 5,158 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lake Wildwood is in CaliforniaLake Wildwood
Median home
$551,800
Household income
$85,771
Jan low / Jul high
33° / 88°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
57.3

Lake Wildwood is a community of 5,158 people in Nevada County, California. The median home is worth $551,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of California towns, better for families than 83% of California towns.

Lake Wildwood in our rankings:

How Lake Wildwood 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.

Lake Wildwood lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement95th pctFamilies83rd pctQuiet82nd pctWalkability35th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals30th pctVibrancy16th pctHip & trendy77th pctCollege town43rd pctUpscale59th pctVacation homes94th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving61st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Lake Wildwood is worth $551,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $85,771, which is more affordable than 50% of California towns. Median rent is $2,507 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.

Lake Wildwood vs Nevada County vs typical California townLake WildwoodNevada CountyTypical California townHome value$551,800$621,800$596,900Household income$85,771$89,882$91,557Monthly rent$2,507$1,677$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingLake WildwoodTypical California town
Median home value$551,800$596,900
Median rent$2,507$1,827
Median household income$85,771$91,557
Home value ÷ income6.4×6.4×
Homeownership84.9%67.4%
Median year built19831977
Seasonal / vacation homes12.4%—

Who lives in Lake Wildwood

PeopleLake WildwoodTypical California town
Median age57.340.2
Age 65 and over42.2%17.7%
Under 1817.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher45.7%27.7%
Below the poverty line8.2%10.3%
Veterans12.2%—
Born outside the U.S.2.5%—
Work from home22.4%13.4%
Average commute35.1 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband94.7%93.3%

Weather in Lake Wildwood

July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F. About 53.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.

Lake Wildwood monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing54°33°Jan55°34°Feb58°37°Mar63°40°Apr71°47°May80°53°Jun88°58°Jul87°57°Aug82°52°Sep72°44°Oct60°37°Nov53°33°DecPrecipitation (in)9.39.08.24.42.50.70.00.10.42.65.510.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Grass Valley #2 station (7.2 mi away); snow from Harry L Englebright Dam (3.7 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Lake Wildwood since 1950.

Severe weather in Nevada County since 1996

Storm events in Nevada County since 1996 by typeHail15Flood26Blizzard4Avalanche17Dense Fog5High Wind214Heavy Rain63Heavy Snow668
NOAA Storm Events Database, Nevada County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 27 deaths recorded.

Nevada County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 14, 2023FloodDR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 24, 2021FireDR-4610: Wildfires
August 22, 2020FireDR-4558: Wildfires

Jobs and pay in Nevada County

Nevada County had 35,000 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,734 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Lake Wildwood itself the ACS puts it at 4%.

Largest industries in Nevada CountyHealth care & social assistan…5,176 jobs · $58,976Hotels & restaurants4,144 jobs · $32,463Retail4,123 jobs · $42,945Construction3,608 jobs · $76,968Other services2,169 jobs · $49,737Professional & technical serv…1,871 jobs · $93,437
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Nevada County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Nevada 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Lake Wildwood

Lake Wildwood questions

Is Lake Wildwood, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Wildwood scores better for retirees than 95% of California towns and quieter than 82%. 42.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).

How much does a house cost in Lake Wildwood?

The median owner-occupied home in Lake Wildwood is valued at $551,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,771, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $2,507 a month.

What is the weather like in Lake Wildwood?

July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Lake Wildwood get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Lake Wildwood in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lake Wildwood's Census boundary (GEOID 0639885). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.