What are the schools like in Clearlake, CA?

Clearlake is served primarily by Konocti Unified. The district operates 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 23.1:1.

What is the median household income in Clearlake?

The median household income in Clearlake, CA is $41,047 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 16.7%.

What is the weather like in Clearlake, CA?

Clearlake has an average high temperature of 54.8°F in January and 91.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 29.9 inches and annual snowfall averages 0.4 inches.

Clearlake, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Clearlake, CA affordable or expensive?

Clearlake's cost of living index is 101, where 100 represents the national average. This means Clearlake is 1% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $184,200 and the median rent is $1,069 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Clearlake, CA?

Clearlake has a violent crime rate of 828.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1584.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Clearlake, CA a Good Place to Live?

Clearlake is a small city of 16,612 in California, with a median household income of $41,047 and a 16.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Clearlake stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clearlake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Clearlake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 101.1

Clearlake's overall cost of living index is 101.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clearlake costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric	Clearlake, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$184,200	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,069	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	59.4%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$41,047	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Clearlake's violent crime rate is 828.8 per 100,000 residents — 118% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

828.8 /100k

Property Crime

1584.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Clearlake is served primarily by Konocti Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Clearlake, CA	National Avg
School District	Konocti Unified	—
Elementary Schools	4	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	3	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	23.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	7.8%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	79.2%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clearlake sees average highs of 54.8°F in January and 91.4°F in July, with 29.9 inches of annual precipitation and 0.4 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Clearlake, CA
Average High — January	54.8°F
Average High — July	91.4°F
Annual Precipitation	29.9"
Annual Snowfall	0.4"

Demographics

Metric	Clearlake, CA	National Avg
Population	16,612	—
Median Age	38.6	38.9
Unemployment Rate	16.7%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	29.7 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	61.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	4.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	23.4%	18.9%
Asian	0.9%	6.3%
Under 18	26.4%	22.2%
65 and over	17.6%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lower Lake, CA 4 mi Clearlake Oaks, CA 4 mi Clearlake Riviera, CA 5 mi Soda Bay, CA 8 mi Spring Valley CDP (Lake County), CA 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Clearlake

Clearlake, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

95422

Clearlake vs Other Cities

Clearlake, CA vs Lower Lake, CA Clearlake, CA vs Clearlake Oaks, CA Clearlake, CA vs Clearlake Riviera, CA Clearlake, CA vs Soda Bay, CA Clearlake, CA vs Spring Valley CDP (Lake County), CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clearlake, CA affordable or expensive?

Clearlake's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Clearlake roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $184,200 and median rent is $1,069/month.

What is the crime rate in Clearlake, CA?

Clearlake's violent crime rate is 828.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1584.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Clearlake?

Public schools in Clearlake are operated by Konocti Unified. The district has 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.1:1. 7.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Clearlake, CA a good place to live?

Clearlake, CA has a population of 16,612, a median household income of $41,047, and an unemployment rate of 16.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Clearlake?

Clearlake averages 54.8°F in January and 91.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 29.9 inches with about 0.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Clearlake?

Clearlake, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 95422.

What is the population of Clearlake?

The population of Clearlake, California is 16,612 with a median age of 38.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Clearlake?

Key numbers for living in Clearlake: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $184,200, median household income $41,047, crime index 161 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clearlake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.