The Town FilesSouth Lake Tahoe, California
City in El Dorado County · population 21,330 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $682,400
- Household income
- $82,002
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.1
South Lake Tahoe is a city of 21,330 people in El Dorado County, California. The median home is worth $682,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of California towns, better for young professionals than 81% of California towns.
How South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe is worth $682,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $82,002, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $1,606 a month. 51.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | South Lake Tahoe | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $682,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,606 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $82,002 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.9% | — |
Who lives in South Lake Tahoe
| People | South Lake Tahoe | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.2% | — |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in South Lake Tahoe
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 20.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 223 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Lake Tahoe since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 21, 2017 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 21, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 20, 2017.
Severe weather in El Dorado County since 1996
El Dorado County has been included in 27 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 |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2022 | Fire | FM-5453: Mosquito Fire |
Jobs and pay in El Dorado County
El Dorado County had 58,585 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,226 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in South Lake Tahoe itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in South Lake Tahoe
8 public schools with 3,534 students, about 20.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Tahoe High | 9-12 | 1,108 | 19.4 |
| South Tahoe Middle | 6-8 | 765 | 20.1 |
| Bijou Community | K-5 | 425 | 23.6 |
| Sierra House Elementary | K-5 | 412 | 20.6 |
| Tahoe Valley Elementary | K-5 | 402 | 21.2 |
| Meyers Elementary | K-5 | 352 | 22.0 |
| Mt. Tallac High | 9-12 | 64 | 21.3 |
| Blue Ridge | K-12 | 6 | 3.0 |
Towns near South Lake Tahoe
- Minden, NV11.8 mi · 3,442 people · home $586,000
- Gardnerville Ranchos, NV12.7 mi · 11,318 people · home $486,000
- Gardnerville, NV13.1 mi · 6,211 people · home $487,300
- Indian Hills, NV15.0 mi · 5,962 people · home $483,800
- Johnson Lane, NV16.9 mi · 6,409 people · home $764,100
- Carson City, NV20.0 mi · 58,639 people · home $453,000
- Kings Beach, CA22.2 mi · 3,563 people · home $772,100
- Incline Village, NV23.4 mi · 9,462 people · home $1,454,600
South Lake Tahoe questions
Is South Lake Tahoe, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Lake Tahoe scores better for retirees than 49% of California towns and quieter than 48%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in South Lake Tahoe?
The median owner-occupied home in South Lake Tahoe is valued at $682,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,002, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $1,606 a month.
What is the weather like in South Lake Tahoe?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.5 inches of precipitation a year and 56.0 inches of snow.
Does South Lake Tahoe get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Lake Tahoe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 21, 2017. 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)