City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Lee Vining, CA

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

557
Residents
$129,407
Median income
$423,700
Median home
$1,675
Median rent (state)

Lee Vining - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lee Vining lands in the 90th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

90th
percentile, household income
79th
percentile, home value
66th
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: Lee Vining, CA

Lee Vining is a small town in California, home to 557 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $129,407 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Home values in Lee Vining run a median of $423,700, and the median resident age is 33.3 years. Educational attainment runs 72.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 72.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 48.6°F with 15.1 inches of precipitation per year and 69.5 inches of snowfall.

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,675 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 46.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

557 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$129,407 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Lee Vining compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lee Vining stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 79% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% 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 Lee Vining against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Lee Vining near the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,450 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Lee Vining ranks #1,194 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lee Vining only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#264 of 1,338
80th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#912 of 1,458
36th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#827 of 1,343
38th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#1,194 of 1,450
0th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#78 of 1,458
94th 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.

90thIncome percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lee Vining's home value compares nationally

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

$423,700 21st percentile more affordable than 21% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. Lee Vining $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 - Lee Vining, CA Lee Vining, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lee Vining, 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 Lee Vining, CA median $129,407/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%
Lee Vining, 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 Lee Vining, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 72.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 72.7%

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

Population
557
Median Income
$129,407
Median Home Value
$423,700
Median Age
33.3
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
72.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
72.7%

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.6°F
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Annual Snowfall
69.5"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
0.0%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
47.2%
Work from Home
52.8%

Based on 218 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 Lee Vining sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,675/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
46.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Calpella
555 people
San Geronimo
562 people
El Nido
564 people
Scotia
565 people
Elfin Forest
566 people
Indianola
568 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lee Vining's 557 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ava, IL
557 people
Dix, IL
557 people
Lyford, IN
557 people
Lynnville, IA
557 people
Strathmoor, KY
557 people
Ironton, MN
557 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lee Vining's $129,407 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shelter Island, NY
$129,410 median income
Sturbridge, MA
$129,413 median income
Cary, NC
$129,399 median income
Prairie Heights, WA
$129,438 median income
Montauk, NY
$129,375 median income
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
$129,442 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lee Vining, 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 Lee Vining, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.3% 14.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 49.4% White 85.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 14.7% Two or more races 0.0% 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 Lee Vining 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
Lee Vining (this city) 557 $129,407
Calpella 555 $103,056
San Geronimo 562 $206,375
El Nido 564 $56,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lee Vining, CA?

What is the population of Lee Vining, CA? +

557 people live in Lee Vining, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lee Vining, CA? +

The median household income in Lee Vining is $129,407 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lee Vining? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lee Vining; 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 Lee Vining, CA? +

Lee Vining's median home value sits at $423,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lee Vining? +

The average annual temperature in Lee Vining runs 48.6°F, 15.1 inches of precipitation, and 69.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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.