Median Income
$45,444
household / year
Median Home Value
$203,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,070
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Lucerne Valley, CA a Good Place to Live?

Lucerne Valley is a small town of 6,212 in California, with a median household income of $45,444 and a 21.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Lucerne Valley stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lucerne Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lucerne Valley 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: 107.9

Lucerne Valley's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lucerne Valley costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Lucerne Valley, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $203,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,070 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 66.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $45,444 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Lucerne Valley's violent crime rate is 520.8 per 100,000 residents — 37% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
520.8 /100k
Property Crime
1795.9 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Lucerne Valley is served primarily by Lucerne Valley Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Lucerne Valley, CA National Avg
School District Lucerne Valley Unified —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 18.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 78.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lucerne Valley sees average highs of 46.1°F in January and 79.7°F in July, with 16.1 inches of annual precipitation and 58.6 inches of snow per year.

MetricLucerne Valley, CA
Average High — January46.1°F
Average High — July79.7°F
Annual Precipitation16.1"
Annual Snowfall58.6"

Demographics

MetricLucerne Valley, CANational Avg
Population6,212—
Median Age38.338.9
Unemployment Rate21.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time46.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)66.5%59.3%
Black or African American3.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino21.6%18.9%
Asian1.9%6.3%
Under 1824.8%22.2%
65 and over16.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Lucerne Valley

Lucerne Valley, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Lucerne Valley vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Lucerne Valley's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Lucerne Valley roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $203,900 and median rent is $1,070/month.
Lucerne Valley's violent crime rate is 520.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1795.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Lucerne Valley are operated by Lucerne Valley Unified. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.2:1. 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lucerne Valley, CA has a population of 6,212, a median household income of $45,444, and an unemployment rate of 21.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lucerne Valley averages 46.1°F in January and 79.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 16.1 inches with about 58.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lucerne Valley, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 92356.
The population of Lucerne Valley, California is 6,212 with a median age of 38.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lucerne Valley: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $203,900, median household income $45,444, crime index 116 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lucerne Valley side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.