The Town FilesYosemite Lakes, California
Community in Madera County · population 5,022 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $374,000
- Household income
- $97,813
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 99°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 35.9
Yosemite Lakes is a community of 5,022 people in Madera County, California. The median home is worth $374,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 90% of California towns, quieter than 70% of California towns, more upscale than 70% of California towns.
How Yosemite Lakes 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 Yosemite Lakes is worth $374,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $97,813, which is more affordable than 93% of California towns. Median rent is $1,907 a month. 83.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Yosemite Lakes | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $374,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,907 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $97,813 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Yosemite Lakes
| People | Yosemite Lakes | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 16.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 38.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Yosemite Lakes
July highs average 98.7°F and January lows 38.0°F. About 14.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.5 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 118 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 17 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yosemite Lakes since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on February 15, 2019 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 15, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 27, 2009.
Severe weather in Madera County since 1996
Madera County has been included in 25 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 |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Madera County
Madera County had 56,858 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,070 a year. Unemployment was 7.5% in 2023; in Yosemite Lakes itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Yosemite Lakes
6 public schools with 879 students, about 20.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minarets High | 9-12 | 257 | 17.1 |
| Spring Valley Elementary | K-8 | 254 | 28.2 |
| Minarets Charter High (charter) | 9-12 | 178 | 17.8 |
| Chawanakee Academy Charter (charter) | K-12 | 173 | 19.2 |
| Cedar Continuation High | 9-12 | 17 | — |
| Manzanita Community Day | 4-12 | — | — |
Towns near Yosemite Lakes
- Coarsegold, CA5.4 mi · 4,144 people · home $350,000
- Oakhurst, CA13.4 mi · 5,945 people · home $392,600
- North Fork, CA14.2 mi · 3,250 people · home $382,600
- Bonadelle Ranchos, CA16.4 mi · 5,497 people · home $486,800
- Madera Ranchos, CA18.7 mi · 3,623 people · home $492,600
- Auberry, CA18.9 mi · 3,238 people · home $375,300
- Madera Acres, CA20.7 mi · 9,162 people · home $346,800
- Parksdale, CA21.5 mi · 3,234 people · home $274,700
Yosemite Lakes questions
Is Yosemite Lakes, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Yosemite Lakes scores better for retirees than 63% of California towns and quieter than 70%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Yosemite Lakes?
The median owner-occupied home in Yosemite Lakes is valued at $374,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,813, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,907 a month.
What is the weather like in Yosemite Lakes?
July highs average 98.7°F and January lows 38.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.7 inches of precipitation a year and 2.5 inches of snow.
Does Yosemite Lakes get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yosemite Lakes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on February 15, 2019. 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)