The Town Files

Arnold, California

Community in Calaveras County · population 3,288 (2020 Census)

Map: where Arnold is in CaliforniaArnold
Median home
$485,700
Household income
$92,467
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 81°
Snow a year
105 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
64.4

Arnold is a community of 3,288 people in Calaveras County, California. The median home is worth $485,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 99% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of California towns, better for retirees than 82% of California towns.

Arnold in our rankings:

How Arnold ranks

Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.

Arnold lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement82nd pctFamilies78th pctQuiet99th pctWalkability14th pctFirst-time buyers35th pctYoung professionals25th pctVibrancy25th pctHip & trendy20th pctCollege town3rd pctUpscale72nd pctVacation homes96th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit46th pctDriving3rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Arnold is worth $485,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $92,467, which is more affordable than 71% of California towns. Median rent is $1,613 a month. 84.3% of households own their home.

Arnold vs Calaveras County vs typical California townArnoldCalaveras CountyTypical California townHome value$485,700$457,200$596,900Household income$92,467$78,647$91,557Monthly rent$1,613$1,625$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingArnoldTypical California town
Median home value$485,700$596,900
Median rent$1,613$1,827
Median household income$92,467$91,557
Home value ÷ income5.3×6.4×
Homeownership84.3%67.4%
Median year built19811977
Seasonal / vacation homes69.1%—

Who lives in Arnold

PeopleArnoldTypical California town
Median age64.440.2
Age 65 and over48.3%17.7%
Under 189.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher43.8%27.7%
Below the poverty line4.2%10.3%
Veterans5.6%—
Born outside the U.S.4.8%—
Work from home23.5%13.4%
Average commute15.2 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband95.3%93.3%

Weather in Arnold

July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 30.4°F. About 55.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 104.8 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 115 nights at or below freezing.

Arnold monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing45°30°Jan46°30°Feb49°32°Mar54°35°Apr63°42°May73°49°Jun81°56°Jul80°55°Aug74°51°Sep64°43°Oct52°34°Nov44°30°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue10.619.39.825.98.519.24.611.42.82.20.90.10.10.10.42.90.35.27.79.718.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Calaveras Big Trees station (2.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Arnold since 1950.

Severe weather in Calaveras County since 1996

Storm events in Calaveras County since 1996 by typeHail3Flood20Tornado1Wildfire2Lightning1Heavy Rain7Heavy Snow1Debris Flow2
NOAA Storm Events Database, Calaveras County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Calaveras County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 4, 2026FireFM-5662: Gann Fire
September 3, 2025FireFM-5612: 2-7 Fire
April 3, 2023Severe StormDR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
March 10, 2023FloodEM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
January 14, 2023FloodDR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Calaveras County

Calaveras County had 10,263 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,838 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Arnold itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.

Largest industries in Calaveras CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,334 jobs · $50,189Retail1,283 jobs · $37,156Hotels & restaurants980 jobs · $25,502Construction973 jobs · $77,087Professional & technical serv…548 jobs · $93,785Other services345 jobs · $36,293
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Calaveras County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Calaveras 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Arnold

1 public school with 180 students, about 22.5 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Hazel Fischer ElementaryK-518022.5

Towns near Arnold

Arnold questions

Is Arnold, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arnold scores better for retirees than 82% of California towns and quieter than 99%. 48.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.4).

How much does a house cost in Arnold?

The median owner-occupied home in Arnold is valued at $485,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,467, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,613 a month.

What is the weather like in Arnold?

July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 30.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.5 inches of precipitation a year and 104.8 inches of snow.

Does Arnold get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Arnold in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Arnold's Census boundary (GEOID 0602770). Comparisons use the median of California towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.