The Town Files

El Sobrante, California

Community in Riverside County · population 14,039 (2020 Census)

Map: where El Sobrante is in CaliforniaEl Sobrante
Median home
$836,300
Household income
$165,682
Jan low / Jul high
44° / 93°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
40.4

El Sobrante is a community of 14,039 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $836,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 98% of California towns, more of a college town than 91% of California towns, better for cycling than 83% of California towns.

How El Sobrante 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.

El Sobrante lifestyle rankings vs other California townsRetirement39th pctFamilies98th pctQuiet52nd pctWalkability43rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy49th pctHip & trendy6th pctCollege town91st pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling83rd pctTransit75th pctDriving61st 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 El Sobrante is worth $836,300, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $165,682, which is more affordable than 76% of California towns. Median rent is $2,880 a month. 92.3% of households own their home.

El Sobrante vs Riverside County vs typical California townEl SobranteRiverside CountyTypical California townHome value$836,300$557,300$596,900Household income$165,682$93,074$91,557Monthly rent$2,880$1,901$1,827
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of California towns with 500+ people.
HousingEl SobranteTypical California town
Median home value$836,300$596,900
Median rent$2,880$1,827
Median household income$165,682$91,557
Home value ÷ income5.0×6.4×
Homeownership92.3%67.4%
Median year built20011977
Seasonal / vacation homes1.0%—

Who lives in El Sobrante

PeopleEl SobranteTypical California town
Median age40.440.2
Age 65 and over11.1%17.7%
Under 1824.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher41.1%27.7%
Below the poverty line2.9%10.3%
Veterans2.4%—
Born outside the U.S.26.5%—
Work from home18.8%13.4%
Average commute36.6 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband99.3%93.3%

Weather in El Sobrante

July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 43.6°F. About 9.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 101 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.

El Sobrante monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°100°68°44°Jan68°45°Feb72°47°Mar76°50°Apr80°55°May87°59°Jun93°64°Jul95°65°Aug91°62°Sep83°55°Oct75°47°Nov67°43°DecPrecipitation (in)2.32.41.20.60.20.00.10.00.10.30.61.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Riverside Muni Ap station (5.7 mi away); snow from Riverside Fire Stn 3 (6.9 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Sobrante since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 22, 2008 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2008.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of El Sobrante by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s11990s22000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996

Storm events in Riverside County since 1996 by typeHeat71Flood135Drought104Wildfire233High Wind661Dust Storm46Heavy Rain92Heavy Snow60
NOAA Storm Events Database, Riverside County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 54 deaths recorded.

Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
May 20, 2026FireFM-5636: Bain Fire
September 11, 2024FireFM-5538: Airport Fire
July 21, 2024FireFM-5515: Hawarden Fire
November 21, 2023HurricaneDR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary
January 9, 2023FloodEM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Riverside County

Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in El Sobrante itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.

Largest industries in Riverside CountyHealth care & social assistan…132,092 jobs · $53,956Retail94,170 jobs · $44,156Hotels & restaurants90,357 jobs · $32,150Construction74,216 jobs · $73,089Transportation & warehousing73,962 jobs · $62,875Administrative & support50,769 jobs · $45,983
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Riverside County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%16%2000200420082012201620202023Riverside 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near El Sobrante

El Sobrante questions

Is El Sobrante, California a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Sobrante scores better for retirees than 39% of California towns and quieter than 52%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).

How much does a house cost in El Sobrante?

The median owner-occupied home in El Sobrante is valued at $836,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $165,682, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $2,880 a month.

What is the weather like in El Sobrante?

July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 43.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does El Sobrante get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of El Sobrante since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 22, 2008. The typical California town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to El Sobrante's Census boundary (GEOID 0622457). 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 2026-11-13.