The Town FilesLake Wildwood, California
Community in Nevada County · population 5,158 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $551,800
- Household income
- $85,771
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 57.3
Lake Wildwood is a community of 5,158 people in Nevada County, California. The median home is worth $551,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of California towns, better for families than 83% of California towns.
How Lake Wildwood 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 Wildwood is worth $551,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $85,771, which is more affordable than 50% of California towns. Median rent is $2,507 a month. 84.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Wildwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $551,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,507 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $85,771 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake Wildwood
| People | Lake Wildwood | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 42.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 12.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 22.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lake Wildwood
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F. About 53.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 61 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Lake Wildwood since 1950.
Severe weather in Nevada County since 1996
Nevada County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 24, 2021 | Fire | DR-4610: Wildfires |
| August 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Nevada County
Nevada County had 35,000 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,734 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Lake Wildwood itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Towns near Lake Wildwood
- Grass Valley, CA7.8 mi · 14,016 people · home $482,200
- Nevada City, CA9.0 mi · 3,152 people · home $677,400
- Alta Sierra, CA10.9 mi · 7,204 people · home $563,700
- Lake of the Pines, CA15.3 mi · 4,301 people · home $664,300
- Wheatland, CA17.4 mi · 3,712 people · home $429,200
- Meadow Vista, CA18.2 mi · 3,263 people · home $640,300
- Linda, CA19.9 mi · 21,654 people · home $371,700
- Marysville, CA21.4 mi · 12,844 people · home $292,300
Lake Wildwood questions
Is Lake Wildwood, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Wildwood scores better for retirees than 95% of California towns and quieter than 82%. 42.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in Lake Wildwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Wildwood is valued at $551,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,771, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $2,507 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Wildwood?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 33.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Wildwood get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Lake Wildwood 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)