Is Lake Hughes, CA a Good Place to Live?
Lake Hughes is a small town of 867 in California, with a median household income of $95,278 and a 18.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 116 (US average = 100), which is 16% above the national average.
Strengths: Lake Hughes's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lake Hughes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Hughes 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: 115.5Lake Hughes's overall cost of living index is 115.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Hughes costs roughly 16% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake Hughes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $473,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,246 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $95,278 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageLake Hughes's violent crime rate is 558.4 per 100,000 residents — 47% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lake Hughes is served primarily by Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lake Hughes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 22.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 83.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake Hughes sees average highs of 56.3°F in January and 92.1°F in July, with 15.8 inches of annual precipitation and 1.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lake Hughes, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 56.3°F |
| Average High — July | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake Hughes, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 867 | — |
| Median Age | 41.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 18.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 39.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lake Hughes
Lake Hughes, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: