Lake County, California Income Statistics
Lake County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Lake County Well below averageLess wealthy than 77% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lake County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,936 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,648 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.8% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lake County is about 39% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Lake County (6.8%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Lake County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lake County, California grew by 47.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,936 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lake County
| Metric | Lake County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.571 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,581 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $55,448 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.0% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Lake County, it is 0.571, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 11% more than women's income in Lake County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 11% wage gap accumulates to roughly $214,655 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lake County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2013, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,196 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lake County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 11.1% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.3% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,125 people are unemployed in Lake County, California.
The average commute time in Lake County is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lake County, California has fallen from 13.4% to 11.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.7% in 2014 and fell as low as 8.7% in 2019.
Lake County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lake County, CA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 68,148 residents against a local median of 90,240. Where Lake County, CA breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 38% above the local median of 8.0% at 11.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $60,936 against a local median of $75,609, 19% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Lake County, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.6% on unemployment, so Lake County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lake County, CA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, CA | 68,148 | $60,936 #6/6 | 6.8%/yr #1/6 | 11.1% #6/6 | 0.571 #6/6 |
| Colusa County, CA | 21,984 | $75,609 | 4.1%/yr | 9.8% | 0.566 |
| Sonoma County, CA | 485,012 | $105,553 | 5.7%/yr | 5.7% | 0.529 |
| Glenn County, CA | 28,492 | $66,909 | 6.2%/yr | 8.0% | 0.550 |
| Napa County, CA | 134,769 | $112,778 | 5.3%/yr | 5.2% | 0.542 |
| Mendocino County, CA | 90,240 | $68,620 | 6.0%/yr | 9.0% | 0.552 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lake County, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lake County, California.
How Rich Is Lake County, California?
Lake County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $60,936, about 39% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Lake County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lake County, California rose 48%, from $41,229 to $60,936. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +48% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Lake County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lake County, California was $58,641, up 5% from $55,889 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Lake County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lake County, California was $49,035. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $60,936.
Is unemployment high in Lake County, California?
Unemployment in Lake County, California is 11.1%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lake County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Lake County is 0.571. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lake County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lake County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2013, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,196 since 2009.
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