The Town FilesLucerne Valley, California
Community in San Bernardino County · population 5,331 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $269,100
- Household income
- $54,788
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 45.5
Lucerne Valley is a community of 5,331 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $269,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 82% of California towns, quieter than 79% of California towns.
How Lucerne Valley 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 Lucerne Valley is worth $269,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $54,788, which is more affordable than 78% of California towns. Median rent is $1,181 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lucerne Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $269,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,181 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $54,788 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.9% | — |
Who lives in Lucerne Valley
| People | Lucerne Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 39.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lucerne Valley
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 23.6°F. About 20.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Lucerne Valley since 1950.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line 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 |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Lucerne Valley itself the ACS puts it at 18.6%.
Public schools in Lucerne Valley
5 public schools with 5,049 students, about 25.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Mountain Charter (charter) | K-12 | 3,942 | 28.6 |
| Lucerne Valley Elementary | K-6 | 627 | 20.9 |
| Lucerne Valley High | 9-12 | 296 | 13.5 |
| Lucerne Valley Middle | 7-8 | 166 | 15.1 |
| Mountain View High | 9-12 | 18 | 18.0 |
Towns near Lucerne Valley
- Big Bear Lake, CA13.8 mi · 5,046 people · home $576,700
- Big Bear City, CA14.4 mi · 12,738 people · home $463,500
- Apple Valley, CA18.6 mi · 75,791 people · home $407,400
- Running Springs, CA19.7 mi · 5,268 people · home $385,000
- Lake Arrowhead, CA20.4 mi · 12,401 people · home $596,500
- Spring Valley Lake, CA21.2 mi · 9,598 people · home $463,000
- Hesperia, CA23.8 mi · 99,818 people · home $409,000
- Crestline, CA25.5 mi · 11,650 people · home $394,400
Lucerne Valley questions
Is Lucerne Valley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lucerne Valley scores better for retirees than 42% of California towns and quieter than 79%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.5).
How much does a house cost in Lucerne Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Lucerne Valley is valued at $269,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,788, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $1,181 a month.
What is the weather like in Lucerne Valley?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 23.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.0 inches of precipitation a year and 38.2 inches of snow.
Does Lucerne Valley get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Lucerne Valley 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)