City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Lake Wildwood, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lake Wildwood - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,967
Residents
$87,552
Median income
$495,100
Median home
$1,550
Median rent (state)

Lake Wildwood - the verdict

Nationally, Lake Wildwood sits in the 69th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

69th
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lake Wildwood, CA

Lake Wildwood is a small town in California, home to 4,967 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lake Wildwood households earn a median of $87,552 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Home values in Lake Wildwood run a median of $495,100, and the median resident age is 54.2 years. About 39.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 38.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,550 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 80.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

4,967 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$87,552 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Lake Wildwood compare to other US cities?

Lake Wildwood measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lake Wildwood against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Lake Wildwood toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Lake Wildwood ranks #1,034 - the 25th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lake Wildwood only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#663 of 1,338
50th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,034 of 1,458
25th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#702 of 1,343
48th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#740 of 1,450
49th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#429 of 1,458
70th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

69thIncome percentile

69th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lake Wildwood's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$495,100 15th percentile more affordable than 15% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lake Wildwood $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lake Wildwood, CA Lake Wildwood, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Wildwood, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lake Wildwood, CA median $87,552/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lake Wildwood, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lake Wildwood, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 38.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,967
Median Income
$87,552
Median Home Value
$495,100
Median Age
54.2
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
38.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.8%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.7%
Carpool
5.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.1%
Work from Home
18.4%

Based on 1,612 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lake Wildwood sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,550/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Sonora
4,965 people
Oakhurst
4,956 people
Willits
4,945 people
Lake San Marcos
4,996 people
Sunnyside
5,003 people
Lake of the Pines
5,012 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Wildwood's 4,967 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Long View, NC
4,967 people
Ampere North, NJ
4,968 people
Northwest Harbor, NY
4,966 people
Wadesboro, NC
4,966 people
Union Grove, WI
4,968 people
Lares zona urbana, PR
4,966 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Wildwood's $87,552 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Carteret, NJ
$87,553 median income
Sioux Center, IA
$87,555 median income
St. George, WV
$87,557 median income
Town and Country, WA
$87,561 median income
Kihei, HI
$87,568 median income
Warwick, RI
$87,536 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Wildwood, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lake Wildwood, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.9% 9.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.9% White 83.9% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.7% American Indian 1.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.1% Two or more races 9.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lake Wildwood compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lake Wildwood (this city) 4,967 $87,552
Sonora 4,965 $62,621
Oakhurst 4,956 $76,606
Willits 4,945 $55,971
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Wildwood, CA?

What is the population of Lake Wildwood, CA? +

The population of Lake Wildwood, CA stands at 4,967 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake Wildwood, CA? +

The median household income in Lake Wildwood is $87,552 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Wildwood? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake Wildwood; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Lake Wildwood, CA? +

A typical home in Lake Wildwood is worth $495,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.