The Town FilesTulelake, California
City in Siskiyou County · population 902 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,200
- Household income
- $47,574
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.3
Tulelake is a city of 902 people in Siskiyou County, California. The median home is worth $170,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of California towns, quieter than 85% of California towns, better for retirees than 76% of California towns.
How Tulelake 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 Tulelake is worth $170,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $47,574, which is more affordable than 94% of California towns. Median rent is $852 a month. 56.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tulelake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $852 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $47,574 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in Tulelake
| People | Tulelake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.8% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Tulelake
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.4°F. About 10.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.8 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Tulelake since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 22, 1958 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on June 11, 1997.
Severe weather in Siskiyou County since 1996
Siskiyou County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 2, 2022 | Fire | FM-5450: Mill Fire |
| June 29, 2021 | Fire | FM-5393: Lava Fire |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Siskiyou County
Siskiyou County had 14,205 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,720 a year. Unemployment was 6.4% in 2023; in Tulelake itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Tulelake
3 public schools with 429 students, about 18.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulelake Basin Elementary | K-6 | 243 | 20.3 |
| Tulelake High | 7-12 | 186 | 16.9 |
| Tulelake Continuation High | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Tulelake
- Malin, OR5.3 mi · 731 people · home $206,900
- Merrill, OR8.2 mi · 821 people · home $204,700
- Falcon Heights, OR19.0 mi · 680 people · home $193,600
- Altamont, OR21.2 mi · 20,233 people · home $249,200
- Dorris, CA22.9 mi · 860 people · home $154,700
- Klamath Falls, OR24.1 mi · 21,813 people · home $287,000
- Keno, OR26.3 mi · 1,980 people · home $339,600
Tulelake questions
Is Tulelake, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tulelake scores better for retirees than 76% of California towns and quieter than 85%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Tulelake?
The median owner-occupied home in Tulelake is valued at $170,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,574, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $852 a month.
What is the weather like in Tulelake?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 21.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.7 inches of precipitation a year and 22.8 inches of snow.
Does Tulelake get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Tulelake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 22, 1958. 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)