The Town FilesLake Nacimiento, California
Community in San Luis Obispo County · population 2,956 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $504,200
- Household income
- $91,615
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 39.2
Lake Nacimiento is a community of 2,956 people in San Luis Obispo County, California. The median home is worth $504,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of California towns, quieter than 92% of California towns, better for young professionals than 80% of California towns.
How Lake Nacimiento 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 Nacimiento is worth $504,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $91,615, which is more affordable than 67% of California towns. Median rent is $1,793 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Nacimiento | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $504,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,793 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $91,615 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 30.6% | — |
Who lives in Lake Nacimiento
| People | Lake Nacimiento | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 45.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lake Nacimiento
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 34.2°F. About 15.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 54 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Lake Nacimiento since 1950.
Severe weather in San Luis Obispo County since 1996
San Luis Obispo County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County had 121,958 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,334 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Lake Nacimiento itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Lake Nacimiento
1 public school with 214 students, about 21.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cappy Culver Elementary | K-8 | 214 | 21.4 |
Towns near Lake Nacimiento
- San Miguel, CA10.1 mi · 3,172 people · home $539,700
- El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA14.2 mi · 31,490 people · home $687,200
- Templeton, CA14.8 mi · 8,386 people · home $810,400
- Cambria, CA17.3 mi · 5,678 people · home $930,200
- Atascadero, CA19.8 mi · 29,773 people · home $716,500
- Cayucos, CA20.2 mi · 2,505 people · home $1,011,900
- Morro Bay, CA25.2 mi · 10,757 people · home $918,200
- Los Osos, CA29.4 mi · 14,465 people · home $805,800
Lake Nacimiento questions
Is Lake Nacimiento, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Nacimiento scores better for retirees than 73% of California towns and quieter than 92%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Lake Nacimiento?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Nacimiento is valued at $504,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,615, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,793 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Nacimiento?
July highs average 90.5°F and January lows 34.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Nacimiento get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Lake Nacimiento 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)