The Town FilesLake Isabella, California
Community in Kern County · population 3,573 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $132,900
- Household income
- $26,661
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 36.3
Lake Isabella is a community of 3,573 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $132,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 87% of California towns, easier by car than 87% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of California towns.
How Lake Isabella 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 Lake Isabella is worth $132,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $26,661, which is more affordable than 76% of California towns. Median rent is $1,163 a month. 58.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Isabella | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,163 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $26,661 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 19.7% | — |
Who lives in Lake Isabella
| People | Lake Isabella | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 36.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lake Isabella
July highs average 98.6°F and January lows 31.5°F. About 11.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 111 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Lake Isabella since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on September 2, 1997.
Severe weather in Kern County since 1996
Kern County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2024 | Fire | FM-5522: Borel Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| 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 |
| August 25, 2021 | Fire | FM-5416: French Fire |
Jobs and pay in Kern County
Kern County had 347,664 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,066 a year. Unemployment was 8.3% in 2023; in Lake Isabella itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Lake Isabella
3 public schools with 1,163 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Valley High | 9-12 | 484 | 16.7 |
| Woodrow W. Wallace Elementary | K-5 | 405 | 20.3 |
| Woodrow Wallace Middle | 6-8 | 274 | 19.6 |
Lake Isabella questions
Is Lake Isabella, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Isabella scores better for retirees than 36% of California towns and quieter than 64%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Lake Isabella?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Isabella is valued at $132,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $26,661, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,163 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Isabella?
July highs average 98.6°F and January lows 31.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.8 inches of precipitation a year and 6.2 inches of snow.
Does Lake Isabella get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Lake Isabella 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)