The Town FilesLive Oak, California
City in Sutter County · population 9,106 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $350,700
- Household income
- $73,571
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 35.4
Live Oak is a city of 9,106 people in Sutter County, California. The median home is worth $350,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 87% of California towns.
How Live Oak 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 Live Oak is worth $350,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $73,571, which is more affordable than 80% of California towns. Median rent is $1,014 a month. 69.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Live Oak | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $350,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,014 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $73,571 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 69.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Live Oak
| People | Live Oak | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 93.3% |
Weather in Live Oak
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 38.2°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 23 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Live Oak since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 28, 1970 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 1, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on May 5, 2016.
Severe weather in Sutter County since 1996
Sutter County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sutter County
Sutter County had 32,774 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,174 a year. Unemployment was 7.8% in 2023; in Live Oak itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Live Oak
8 public schools with 2,837 students, about 21.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luther Elementary | K-5 | 837 | 21.5 |
| Sutter Peak Charter Academy (charter) | K-12 | 642 | 29.2 |
| Live Oak High | 9-12 | 591 | 19.1 |
| Live Oak Middle | 6-8 | 404 | 17.6 |
| Nuestro Elementary | K-8 | 171 | 19.0 |
| Encinal Elementary | K-8 | 113 | 28.3 |
| Live Oak Alternative | K-12 | 58 | 29.0 |
| Valley Oak Continuation High | 9-12 | 21 | 21.0 |
Towns near Live Oak
- Gridley, CA6.1 mi · 7,421 people · home $312,800
- Sutter, CA9.7 mi · 2,997 people · home $408,500
- Marysville, CA9.8 mi · 12,844 people · home $292,300
- Yuba City, CA10.4 mi · 70,117 people · home $434,600
- Linda, CA12.5 mi · 21,654 people · home $371,700
- Palermo, CA12.9 mi · 5,555 people · home $283,000
- Olivehurst, CA14.9 mi · 16,595 people · home $384,500
- South Oroville, CA15.1 mi · 3,235 people · home $261,500
Live Oak questions
Is Live Oak, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Live Oak scores better for retirees than 39% of California towns and quieter than 52%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.4).
How much does a house cost in Live Oak?
The median owner-occupied home in Live Oak is valued at $350,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,571, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,014 a month.
What is the weather like in Live Oak?
July highs average 96.2°F and January lows 38.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Live Oak get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Live Oak since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 28, 1970. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)