City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

South Lake Tahoe, CA

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

21,319
Residents
$73,940
Median income
$630,200
Median home
$1,529
Median rent (state)

South Lake Tahoe - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, South Lake Tahoe lands in the 55th percentile for household income and the 27th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

55th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
27th
percentile, safety
📝 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: South Lake Tahoe, CA

South Lake Tahoe is a small city in California, home to 21,319 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. South Lake Tahoe households earn a median of $73,940 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.1%. Home values in South Lake Tahoe run a median of $630,200, and the median resident age is 39.3 years. Educational attainment runs 34.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 67.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 11 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 58% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2247.1 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 44.2°F with 20.5 inches of precipitation per year.

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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,529 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 13.7 minutes, with 61.0% driving alone and 13.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 10.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

21,319 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$73,940 /yr

Poverty 7.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does South Lake Tahoe compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities
Safety 27% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: South Lake Tahoe ranks #284 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, South Lake Tahoe ranks #1,137 - the 20th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares South Lake Tahoe only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#866 of 1,338
35th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#1,137 of 1,458
20th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#539 of 1,343
60th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#674 of 1,450
53rd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#545 of 1,458
62nd 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.

55thIncome percentile
27thSafety percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income · 27th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Lake Tahoe's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South Lake Tahoe's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
South Lake Tahoe's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How South Lake Tahoe's home value compares nationally

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

$630,200 10th percentile more affordable than 10% 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%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. South Lake Tahoe $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 - South Lake Tahoe, CA South Lake Tahoe, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South Lake Tahoe, 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 South Lake Tahoe, CA median $73,940/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%
South Lake Tahoe, 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 South Lake Tahoe, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.4%

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

Population
21,319
Median Income
$73,940
Median Home Value
$630,200
Median Age
39.3
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Labor force participation
67.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2247.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
785.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1461.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.2°F
Annual Precipitation
20.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
21,000 residents21,100 residents21,200 residents21,300 residents21,400 residents21,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,311 residents 21,115 residents ▼ -0.9%
South Lake Tahoe's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 26
2020 21
2021 18
2022 102
2023 78
2024 11

Permit volume decreased 58% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.7 minutes
Drive Alone
61.0%
Carpool
11.8%
Public Transit
2.2%
Walk
7.2%
Work from Home
13.2%
Other
4.6%

Based on 11,618 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 South Lake Tahoe sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,529/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
10.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Stevenson Ranch
21,317 people
Granite Bay
21,378 people
Valinda
21,626 people
Willowbrook
21,642 people
Port Hueneme
21,691 people
Imperial
20,943 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Lake Tahoe's 21,319 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Candler-McAfee, GA
21,316 people
Mesquite, NV
21,314 people
Mukilteo, WA
21,312 people
Gallup, NM
21,333 people
Carlisle, PA
21,335 people
Geneva, IL
21,299 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Lake Tahoe's $73,940 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Jersey Shore, PA
$73,942 median income
Millbury, OH
$73,934 median income
Bennett Springs, MO
$73,950 median income
Sinking Spring, PA
$73,950 median income
Crawfordsville, IA
$73,929 median income
Hunters Hollow, KY
$73,929 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South Lake Tahoe, 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 South Lake Tahoe, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.6% 6.1% 12.3% 10.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 28.2% White 68.6% Black or African American 0.6% Asian 6.1% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 12.3% Two or more races 10.8% 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 South Lake Tahoe 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
South Lake Tahoe (this city) 21,319 $73,940
Stevenson Ranch 21,317 $146,404
Granite Bay 21,378 $190,000
Valinda 21,626 $99,979
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Lake Tahoe, CA?

What is the population of South Lake Tahoe, CA? +

The population of South Lake Tahoe, CA stands at 21,319 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In South Lake Tahoe, the typical household earns $73,940 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Lake Tahoe? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South Lake Tahoe; 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.

Is South Lake Tahoe, CA safe? +

South Lake Tahoe has a total crime rate of 2247.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

South Lake Tahoe's median home value sits at $630,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in South Lake Tahoe? +

Climate normals put South Lake Tahoe's yearly average temperature at 44.2°F, 20.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.