Lee Vining, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 628, Lee Vining's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Lee Vining is a small community located in California, within Mono County. The total population is 628. It ranks as the 1171st most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee Vining is 15.5 years. This is 59% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 56.0% of the population under 18, Lee Vining has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee Vining is $134,120. This is 35% higher than the state median of $99,122. It is also 66% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Lee Vining. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 13.9%. This is 110% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $435,200. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lee Vining is Hispanic or Latino, making up 53.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 46.7%.

Education

72.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Lee Vining in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 94% higher than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 38.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lee Vining, 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.