The Town FilesPine Mountain Lake, California
Community in Tuolumne County · population 2,636 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $426,500
- Household income
- $79,387
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 62.8
Pine Mountain Lake is a community of 2,636 people in Tuolumne County, California. The median home is worth $426,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 94% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of California towns, better for retirees than 90% of California towns.
How Pine Mountain Lake 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 Pine Mountain Lake is worth $426,500, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $79,387, which is more affordable than 69% of California towns. Median rent is $1,406 a month. 89.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pine Mountain Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $426,500 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,406 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $79,387 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 54.3% | — |
Who lives in Pine Mountain Lake
| People | Pine Mountain Lake | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 45.8% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 8.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 15.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 42.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Pine Mountain Lake
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 31.0°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 91 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Pine Mountain Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on March 21, 2017.
Severe weather in Tuolumne County since 1996
Tuolumne County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5652: Dove Fire |
| 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 22, 2020 | Fire | DR-4558: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Tuolumne County
Tuolumne County had 18,221 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,725 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Pine Mountain Lake itself the ACS puts it at 10.2%.
Towns near Pine Mountain Lake
- Mono Vista, CA11.7 mi · 3,236 people · home $427,800
- Phoenix Lake, CA12.6 mi · 4,264 people · home $488,500
- Sonora, CA13.8 mi · 5,003 people · home $422,300
- Jamestown, CA14.1 mi · 3,478 people · home $374,600
- Columbia, CA17.3 mi · 2,577 people · home $376,200
- Copperopolis, CA24.8 mi · 3,400 people · home $487,200
- Angels, CA24.9 mi · 3,667 people · home $484,800
- Arnold, CA28.4 mi · 3,288 people · home $485,700
Pine Mountain Lake questions
Is Pine Mountain Lake, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pine Mountain Lake scores better for retirees than 90% of California towns and quieter than 94%. 45.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 62.8).
How much does a house cost in Pine Mountain Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Pine Mountain Lake is valued at $426,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,387, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,406 a month.
What is the weather like in Pine Mountain Lake?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 31.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does Pine Mountain Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Pine Mountain Lake 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)