South Lake Tahoe, CA
Census place 0673108 · pop 21,269
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
795 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
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 $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,831/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$682,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-3.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
51.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.6% 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 1 days · worse than most cities
8 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 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1519 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
92/100 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 42 AQI · worse than most cities
44 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 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$82,002 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
9.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
35.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.59% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is South Lake Tahoe, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, South Lake Tahoe scores 39/100 — 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 commute time 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 South Lake Tahoe, CA?
- South Lake Tahoe reports 795 violent crimes per 100k and 1519 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is South Lake Tahoe, CA expensive to live in?
- South Lake Tahoe has a median home value of $682,400 and typical rent around $2,831/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in South Lake Tahoe, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (795/100k) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is South Lake Tahoe, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 92/100, 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.