Is Lake Mathews, CA a Good Place to Live?
Lake Mathews is a small town of 6,494 in California, with a median household income of $102,537 and a 11.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.
Strengths: Lake Mathews's profile is close to national averages across most measures.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lake Mathews is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Mathews 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: 107.9Lake Mathews's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Mathews costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake Mathews, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $615,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,816 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 86.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $102,537 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageLake Mathews's violent crime rate is 293.7 per 100,000 residents — 23% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Lake Mathews, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake Mathews sees average highs of 65.8°F in January and 94.1°F in July, with 11.7 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Lake Mathews, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.8°F |
| Average High — July | 94.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake Mathews, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,494 | — |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 38.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 59.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 22.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 9.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.5% | 16.8% |