What it's like to live in Clearlake
Clearlake is a small city in California with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Clearlake deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Low college degree attainment
- High student-teacher ratio
How Clearlake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Clearlake
Based on Clearlake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,480
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,600 a year
- 65% of Clearlake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,420
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 12% below US
$1,240/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,240 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $214,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $214,200 · 65% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
7.3% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lake County is 7.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Lake County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 119% above US
722 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1961/100k · Clearlake Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 27% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 88°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 78% below US
8% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 26:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Point Reyes National Seashore (64 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Clearlake's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,240/mo) equals 36% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up, people who dread long commutes, and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Clearlake
All California guides →Moving to Healdsburg →
26 mi away · pop. 11,243
Rent $2,158/mo · Income $103,554
Compare with Clearlake →Moving to Santa Rosa →
36 mi away · pop. 177,090
Rent $2,152/mo · Income $99,060
Compare with Clearlake →Not sure Clearlake is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.