Is Lee Vining, CA a Good Place to Live?
Lee Vining is a small town of 594 in California, with a median household income of $135,017 and a 12.6% unemployment rate.
Strengths: Lee Vining stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lee Vining is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lee Vining city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Lee Vining metro area.
| Metric | Lee Vining, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $399,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 100.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $135,017 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageLee Vining's violent crime rate is 595.4 per 100,000 residents — 57% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lee Vining is served primarily by Eastern Sierra Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lee Vining, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Eastern Sierra Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 77.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 100.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lee Vining sees average highs of 40.9°F in January and 84.2°F in July, with 15.1 inches of annual precipitation and 69.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lee Vining, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.9°F |
| Average High — July | 84.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 69.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lee Vining, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 594 | — |
| Median Age | 16.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 12.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | N/A | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 50.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 0.0% | 16.8% |