The Town FilesBig Bear Lake, California
City in San Bernardino County · population 5,046 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $576,700
- Household income
- $76,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 46.6
Big Bear Lake is a city of 5,046 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $576,700, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 92% of California towns, hipper than 71% of California towns.
How Big Bear Lake 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Big Bear Lake is worth $576,700, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $76,250, which is more affordable than 33% of California towns. Median rent is $1,454 a month. 64.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big Bear Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $576,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,454 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $76,250 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 73.0% | — |
Who lives in Big Bear Lake
| People | Big Bear Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Big Bear Lake
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 23.6°F. About 20.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 58.6 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Big Bear Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 16, 2000.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Big Bear Lake itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Big Bear Lake
2 public schools with 1,010 students, about 22.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore Elementary | K-5 | 516 | 22.4 |
| Big Bear Middle | 6-8 | 494 | 22.5 |
Towns near Big Bear Lake
- Big Bear City, CA5.6 mi · 12,738 people · home $463,500
- Running Springs, CA12.2 mi · 5,268 people · home $385,000
- Lucerne Valley, CA13.8 mi · 5,331 people · home $269,100
- Lake Arrowhead, CA16.2 mi · 12,401 people · home $596,500
- Yucaipa, CA16.8 mi · 54,542 people · home $502,100
- Mentone, CA17.8 mi · 9,557 people · home $436,700
- Highland, CA17.9 mi · 56,999 people · home $485,600
- Cherry Valley, CA18.7 mi · 6,509 people · home $408,000
Big Bear Lake questions
Is Big Bear Lake, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big Bear Lake scores better for retirees than 62% of California towns and quieter than 67%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Big Bear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Big Bear Lake is valued at $576,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,250, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is $1,454 a month.
What is the weather like in Big Bear Lake?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 23.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.0 inches of precipitation a year and 58.6 inches of snow.
Does Big Bear Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Big Bear Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)