1st Advantage MortgageIn Lake County, California, the typical household earns $60,621 a year and the typical rent is $1,368. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in California before sharing details.
On this page
- Who lives in Lake County
- Housing costs in Lake County
- How much Lake County households make
- How Lake County residents earn a living
- The counties around Lake County
- Towns and communities in Lake County
- Debt-to-income at Lake County's medians
- Lake County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Lake County borrowers
- Licensing and complaints for Lake County
- Steps before you apply in Lake County
- More guides for Lake County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Lake County
With an estimated 68,152 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Lake County ranks 40th of 58 in California for population. It covers 1,255 square miles of land, or about 54 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Clearlake is the biggest of its 15 Census places, at roughly 16,659 people (24% of the county total).
Housing costs in Lake County
Renters in Lake County pay a median of $1,368 a month, 33% below the California figure of $2,036. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 62% of renter households here. With a median value of $324,300, a typical Lake County house costs 5.3 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 72% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1980.
| Measure | Lake County | California | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,368/mo | $2,036/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $324,300 | $734,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 56% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 62% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 45% | 38% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 19.6% | 3.5% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Lake County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How much Lake County households make
The median household income in Lake County is $60,621; statewide it is $99,122, so Lake County runs 39% below California as a whole.
| Yearly household income | Lake County | Gap to California |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 29.4% | +11.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.7% | +8.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.9% | -7.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.1% | -12.4 pts |
Some 29% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 30% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 17.0%, 5 points higher than the state's 12.0%. For a borrower in Lake County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Lake County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 11%. Public administration stands out: 9% of workers here, versus 5% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 11.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 23% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Lake County workers | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.6% | +3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.9% | +0.9 pts |
| Construction | 10.0% | +3.4 pts |
| Public administration | 9.4% | +4.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.3% | -0.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.7% | -5.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
The counties around Lake County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (28 to 54 miles). Income ranges from $67,139 in Glenn County to $111,471 in Napa County; all six of these neighbors top Lake County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | - | $60,621 | $1,368/mo | 72% |
| Colusa County, CA | 28 mi | $75,672 | $1,157/mo | 62% |
| Glenn County, CA | 39 mi | $67,139 | $1,120/mo | 61% |
| Sonoma County, CA | 41 mi | $104,674 | $2,158/mo | 63% |
| Mendocino County, CA | 44 mi | $68,092 | $1,317/mo | 62% |
| Napa County, CA | 47 mi | $111,471 | $2,237/mo | 63% |
| Yolo County, CA | 54 mi | $91,752 | $1,857/mo | 54% |
Towns and communities in Lake County
15 Census places fall mainly inside Lake County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 53,052 residents, leaving about 22% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Cobb has the highest median household income on the list ($120,250) and Lower Lake the lowest ($31,652), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $1,038 in Lower Lake to $2,437 in Hidden Valley Lake. Live in one of these Lake County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearlake | city | 16,659 | $41,867 | $1,240 | 12 mi |
| Hidden Valley Lake | CDP | 5,872 | $84,152 | $2,437 | 24 mi |
| Lakeport | city | 5,113 | $68,518 | $1,063 | 11 mi |
| Clearlake Riviera | CDP | 4,122 | $89,395 | $1,815 | 11 mi |
| Kelseyville | CDP | 4,011 | $45,663 | $1,132 | 11 mi |
| Lucerne | CDP | 3,435 | $56,625 | $1,408 | 4 mi |
| North Lakeport | CDP | 2,995 | $64,125 | $1,758 | 9 mi |
| Nice | CDP | 2,569 | $52,014 | $1,293 | 6 mi |
| Clearlake Oaks | CDP | 2,198 | $35,938 | $1,506 | 8 mi |
| Middletown | CDP | 1,572 | n/a | $2,083 | 25 mi |
| Upper Lake | CDP | 1,374 | $110,417 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Spring Valley | CDP | 853 | $48,679 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Cobb | CDP | 842 | $120,250 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Soda Bay | CDP | 802 | $81,806 | $1,675 | 8 mi |
Debt-to-income at Lake County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Lake County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,052 a month: gross income for a household at the Lake County median
- Median rent: $1,368, or 27 cents of every gross dollar
- $653: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Lake County's.
Lake County households compared
18% of Lake County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Lake County | All of California | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 37.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.8% | 37.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.4% | 15.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.9% | 6.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.6% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 14.3% | 17.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 12.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 11.1% | 6.6% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Lake County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.0% |
| 60+ min | 16.5% |
What the numbers mean for Lake County borrowers
What the Lake County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Commuter costs. 23% drive 45 minutes or more. Compare shop financing with a loan, and keep a small repair fund.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 20% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Tight rental budgets. With 62% of Lake County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Licensing and complaints for Lake County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Lake County, check the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The California guide covers state rules in more detail.
Steps before you apply in Lake County
Quick steps for Lake County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- A California license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask a Lake County credit union about member loans.
More guides for Lake County
The California guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lake County a high-income county?
Its $60,621 median ranks 54th of 58 California counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Lake County?
$1,368 a month at the median, about 27% of median household income.
I live in a small Lake County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Clearlake, Hidden Valley Lake, Lakeport, Clearlake Riviera, Kelseyville and 10 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Lake County or elsewhere in California, the same rules apply.
Is there a Lake County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In California it is the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.