Big Bear Lake, CA
Census place 0606434 · pop 5,041
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1582 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
87 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
144 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$576,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2123 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,058/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$76,250 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
64.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
33.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
31.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.74% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Frequently asked
- Is Big Bear Lake, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Big Bear Lake scores 35/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is broadband access and its weakest is violent crime rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Big Bear Lake, CA?
- Big Bear Lake reports 1582 violent crimes per 100k and 2123 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Big Bear Lake, CA expensive to live in?
- Big Bear Lake has a median home value of $576,700 and typical rent around $2,058/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Big Bear Lake, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (1582/100k) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Big Bear Lake, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is broadband access (96.3%) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.