Bishop, Inyo Co., Calif, 1911
Bishop’s story
165 years in pictures
Census counts: 152 in 1880, 3,819 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
- 1861Bishop is settled
BishopCA
A town of 3,696, settled in 1861.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Bishopvisitor · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,696
2025 Census estimate · −3.3% since 2020
Typical home
$592K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
51.2
years
Jobs based here
3,363
A job hub
TownGrade
C−
#470 of 841 in CA
Is Bishop a good place to live?
Bishop's standout: 47% of its land is conserved. Overall it grades C−, ranked 470th of 841 in California. It is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns and it is more walkable than 96% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is safety: its crime rate is higher than 94% of U.S. towns, with 31 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. 43% of working residents work locally in Bishop, above both California’s towns (6.6%) and U.S. towns (8%). FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Among 846 California towns, just 8 have a lower January low than Bishop.
What makes Bishop stand out
Where Bishop beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,617 people come to Bishop for work
Where Bishop’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,363jobs based in Bishop
43%of working residents work in town
2 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Bishop grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Bishop is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.5 of 20; 5.2% of households have no carA+Open →SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthNorthern Inyo Hospital 0.6 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$84K median household income; 3,363 jobs based hereBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsA+Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life9.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bishop: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bishop, and how to reach them.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Bishop water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bishop’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereInyo County Clerk-ElectionsInyo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9351493514 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bishop.
Bishop draws workers from Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek and beyond, keeps more of its land conserved than most of California and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns.
OutdoorsA+
Bishop has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
Its 570 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 97% of California towns. Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #16 of 847 in California.
Count the trails in 2 parks and preserves and they come to 2.7 miles. The biggest park or preserve is Tri County Fairgrounds, at 75 acres. For Bishop, the trail network density is 1.4 miles per square mile.
#257for trails in CA
46.8%
conserved · 570 of 1,217 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tri County Fairgrounds | 0.6 mi | 75 |
| 2. Bishop Park | 0.1 mi | 47 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB
Bishop’s schools rank ahead of 55% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Bishop Unified school district. Two of its 9 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Public school enrollment locally: 1,260 students across 4 schools.
55%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 832 | B− |
| Bishop Union HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 608 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
SafetyD
Bishop earns a D for safety
The level of property crime for Bishop comes to 21.7 per 1,000 residents. The rate of reported violence for Bishop comes to 8.3 per 1,000 residents.
6%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.3 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 21.7 per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bishop8.3
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bishop21.7
California18.2
U.S.15.5
6th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
7th
percentile among CA towns
31
violent crimes reported in 2025
81
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About one in two working residents works right in Bishop
3,363 jobs are based in Bishop, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 16.1 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
The top destinations are Mammoth Lakes (7%), Fresno (3%) and Independence (2%). For Bishop, the average trip to work is 16 minutes.
43%work in town
| Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Bishop43%
Mammoth Lakes7%
Fresno3%
Independence2%
West Bishop2%
2 mi
median commute distance
3,363
jobs based in Bishop
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 96% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Natural hazards: very high risk in Bishop, mostly earthquakes
Paid flood insurance claims in Bishop since 1983: 2. FEMA puts 52% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 32% to heat waves. One declared disaster, in 2023, has brought federal aid to Bishop households.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesHeat wavesInland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 1983
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA−
Bishop earns an A− for health
Bishop beats the California average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. In Bishop, 73% of adults had a checkup this year.
75%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 72% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 35% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
32 measures vs. California
8 better22 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Bishop | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.4% | 17.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.9% | 10.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.7% | 6.4% |
Northern Inyo Hospital
0.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
65th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Bishop is older than the California average
The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 46%, against 37% across California. People 65 and older are 28% of residents (16% statewide); children under 18 are 10% of residents (22% statewide). Bishop’s median age is 51.2 years. 3,696 people lived in Bishop by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 3.3% fewer than in 2020.
51.2median age · CA 37.9
| Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 10% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 51.2 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 46% | 29% | 29% |
BishopCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school18%
Some college26%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate23%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.8 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Bishop | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.9% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.4% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.6% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.4% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.6% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.2% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.2% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.8% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.5% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,700, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade D
A typical Bishop home is worth about $592K
Bishop: 58% of households are owner-occupiers. Values rose 5.5% in the 12 months to September 2026. The typical rent locally is $1,580 a month.
$592KZillow home value
| Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,580 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bishop$592K
California$762K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
The climate in Bishop brings four seasons and hot summers
July afternoons average 97.8°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 26°.
The town’s midsummer high stands at 98°F.
98°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–55°
Spring40–72°
Summer58–95°
Fall41–76°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bishop
18pages on Bishop
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 55% of CA districts · 9 schoolsSafetyD8.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than CA on 8 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$592K typical home · up 5.5% in a yearWork & commuteB$84K median household income · 3,363 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bishop; the nearest are
Reedley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Reedley78.7 mi$1,334 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-FresnoUniversity or college · Public · Fresno83.5 mi$7,350 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Bishop residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Bishop
City in California, United States
Bishop is the only incorporated city in Inyo County, California, United States. It is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley in the Mojave Desert, at an elevation of 4,150 feet (1,260 m). The city was named after Bishop Creek, flowing out of the Sierra Nevada range; the creek was named after Samuel Addison Bishop, a settler in the Owens Valley. Bishop is a commercial and residential center, while many vacation destinations and tourist attractions in the Sierra Nevada are located nearby. The city covers approximately 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), making it the county's largest community by population and land area. The population of the city limits was 3,819 at the 2020 census, down…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1861
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,150 ft
- ZIP code
- 93514, 93515
- Area code
- 760
Bishop’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Bishop.
West BishopBishop
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop | #470 | C− | D | D | B | A− |
| West Bishop | #281 | C+ | C− | — | B | A |
West Bishop reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Bishop with a neighbor →
Questions about Bishop
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bishop, CA a good place to live?
Bishop grades C− overall, better than 23% of U.S. towns and #470 of 841 in California. It grades A− for health, D for safety and B for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Bishop, CA expensive?
Yes. That is 8 years of the area's median household income ($73,991 across the Bishop, CA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.