Clearlake, California Demographics & Population 2026

Name: Clearlake, California Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

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High PovertyPoverty rate of 25.5% is well above the state average

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Clearlake, California had a total population of 16,659, the 390th largest city in California, with a median household income of $41,867, which is 58% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 25.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Key Takeaways

Household income is 58% below the state average, indicating significant economic challenges.
More than 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty line (25.5%), well above the national average of 12.4%.
Only 7.9% of adults have a bachelor's degree, well below the national average of 35.7%.
Unemployment rate of 14.8% is notably above the national average.

Clearlake Quick Facts

Population 16,659

Median Household Income $41,867

Median Home Value $214,200

Poverty Rate 25.5%

Unemployment Rate 14.8%

Median Age 38.8 years

Homeownership Rate 59.5%

Affordability Ratio 5.1x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.9%

High School Graduation Rate 80.0%

Diversity Index 59/100

Population 16,659 390th of 1,570

Median Income $41,867 bottom 10%

Poverty Rate 25.5% 105% higher than national

Median Home Value $214,200 bottom 10%

How Clearlake Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	16,604	16,659	+0.3%
Median household income	$41,580	$41,867	+0.7%
Median home value	$204,500	$214,200	+4.7%

How Clearlake Compares

Median Household Income

Clearlake

$41,867

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Clearlake

$214,200

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 31.1%

$25K-$50K 23.8%

$50K-$100K 28.4%

$100K+ 16.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.8%

$10K-$15K

10.5%

$15K-$20K

5.9%

$20K-$25K

5.9%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

5.1%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

6.4%

$45K-$50K

2.1%

$50K-$60K

9.5%

$60K-$75K

11.7%

$75K-$100K

7.1%

$100K-$125K

6.9%

$125K-$150K

3.8%

$150K-$200K

2.2%

$200K+

3.8%

Employment

14.8% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%

48.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 59.5%

Renter 40.5%

Affordability Index Expensive

5.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,240/mo 35.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.5%

18-34

21.3%

35-54

25.0%

55-74

22.5%

75+

5.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Clearlake Rankings in California

#390 Population of 1,570

#1305 Median Income of 1,375

#1327 Education of 1,570

#1289 Home Value of 1,376

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Other Cities in Lake County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Hidden Valley Lake	5,872	$84,152	7.8%	$394,800
Lakeport	5,113	$68,518	12.9%	$333,800
Clearlake Riviera	4,122	$89,395	6.1%	$328,500
Kelseyville	4,011	$45,663	23.1%	N/A
Lucerne	3,435	$56,625	19.4%	$243,500
North Lakeport	2,995	$64,125	21.5%	$410,300
Nice	2,569	$52,014	16.0%	$172,800
Clearlake Oaks	2,198	$35,938	21.4%	$250,900
Middletown	1,572	N/A	8.1%	$403,900
Upper Lake	1,374	$110,417	10.5%	$361,800

Cities Similar to Clearlake

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Lemon Hill	15,312	$48,762	$349,900	10.2%	32.0%
Arcata	18,607	$46,713	$484,600	46.3%	27.2%
Kerman	16,815	$59,799	$370,900	16.0%	21.3%
Blythe	17,396	$56,625	$225,000	8.6%	18.9%
Laguna Woods	17,289	$59,269	$394,600	50.9%	14.2%

Population Overview

Clearlake is a small city located in California, within Lake County. The total population is 16,659. It ranks as the 390th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clearlake is 38.8 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clearlake is $41,867. This is 58% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.5%. This is 112% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 14.8%. This is 123% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $214,200. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.1x. 59.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Clearlake is White (non-Hispanic), making up 53.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 33.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (53.5% vs 33.8%). The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

7.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 79% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Clearlake, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Clearlake, California?

Clearlake, California has a population of 16,659 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Clearlake, CA?

The median household income in Clearlake is $41,867, which is 48% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Clearlake, CA?

The poverty rate in Clearlake is 25.5%. This means approximately 4,175 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Clearlake, California?

Clearlake's population is 53.5% White, 4.0% Black, 33.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 1.2% Asian.

What is the median home value in Clearlake, CA?

The median home value in Clearlake is $214,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.1x.

How educated is Clearlake, California?

7.9% of adults (25+) in Clearlake hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 2.1% hold a graduate or professional degree.