Is South Lake Tahoe, CA a Good Place to Live?
South Lake Tahoe is a small city of 21,346 in California, with a median household income of $67,686 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: South Lake Tahoe stands out for solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index. Whether South Lake Tahoe is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Lake Tahoe 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: 108.9South Lake Tahoe's overall cost of living index is 108.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Lake Tahoe costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | South Lake Tahoe, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $571,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $67,686 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageSouth Lake Tahoe's violent crime rate is 785.5 per 100,000 residents — 107% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
South Lake Tahoe is served primarily by Lake Tahoe Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | South Lake Tahoe, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lake Tahoe Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 20.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Lake Tahoe sees average highs of 42.8°F in January and 80.4°F in July, with 20.5 inches of annual precipitation and 21.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | South Lake Tahoe, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 42.8°F |
| Average High — July | 80.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | South Lake Tahoe, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,346 | — |
| Median Age | 38.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 71.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: