Is Lake Wildwood, CA a Good Place to Live?
Lake Wildwood is a small town of 4,974 in California, with a median household income of $77,004 and a 4.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Lake Wildwood stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Lake Wildwood is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Wildwood 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: 111.9Lake Wildwood's overall cost of living index is 111.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Wildwood costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake Wildwood, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $481,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,273 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $77,004 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageLake Wildwood's violent crime rate is 411.0 per 100,000 residents — 8% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lake Wildwood is served primarily by Penn Valley Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lake Wildwood, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Penn Valley Union Elementary | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake Wildwood sees average highs of 53.6°F in January and 88.0°F in July, with 34.8 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Lake Wildwood, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 53.6°F |
| Average High — July | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake Wildwood, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,974 | — |
| Median Age | 57.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 39.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lake Wildwood
Lake Wildwood, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: