Lower Lake, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 635, Lower Lake'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

Lower Lake is a small community located in California, within Lake County. The total population is 635. It ranks as the 1169th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lower Lake is 49.7 years. This is 31% higher than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lower Lake is $31,652. This is 68% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 61% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 29.0%. This is 141% 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 7.7%. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $327,600. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.4x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 39.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lower Lake is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 33.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (61.9% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

24.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lower Lake, 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.