Isabella Recreation Sites, 2003
Lake Isabella’s story
69 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,428 in 1980, 3,573 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
- 1957Lake Isabella is settled
Lake IsabellaCA
A town of 4,059, settled in 1957.
Population
4,059
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$217K
−1.9% in a year
Household income
$27K
median
Median age
36.3
years
Jobs based here
863
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#756 of 841 in CA
Is Lake Isabella a good place to live?
Lake Isabella earns a D−, ranked 756th of 841 in California, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $27K, and 41% of residents live below the poverty line. On CDC estimates, its residents' health ranks in the bottom 2% nationally. One bright spot: it has 46 miles of trail. 41% of residents live below the poverty line in Lake Isabella, against 10% in California’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On cost of living, just 54 of California’s 1,058 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 93% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top.
What makes Lake Isabella stand out
Where Lake Isabella beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Lake Isabella grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Lake Isabella is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Kern Valley Healthcare District 4.5 miles awayD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →SchoolsC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.4 of 20; 11.5% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 98° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.3; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Lake Isabella: who provides what
Lake Isabella is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLake Isabella Community Services DistNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
SchoolsKern High School DistrictKernville Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Lake Isabella; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereKern County Clerk - Elections OfficeKern County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes93240, 93285, 9320593240 96% · 93285 3% · 93205 2%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 Lake Isabella.
Lake Isabella has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has poverty well above the California rate and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Lake Isabella home is worth about $217K
83.9% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 55.3% across California. The median property tax bill is $1,353, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Lake Isabella home is worth about $217,000, down 1.9% in a year, 72% below the California typical home. The median rent in Lake Isabella is $1,163 a month.
$217KZillow home value
| Lake Isabella | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,163 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 59% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Lake Isabella$217K
California$762K
−1.9%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Lake Isabella’s public schools trail 57% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Kernville Union Elementary school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Kern Valley High, with 516 students.
43%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodrow W. Wallace ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 390 | – |
| Kern Valley HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 516 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthD−
A larger share of adults in Lake Isabella say their health is fair or poor than in the typical California or U.S. town
42% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Lake Isabella. Among 847 California towns, just 2 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Lake Isabella. 24% of adults report frequent mental distress in Lake Isabella.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Lake Isabella | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 11% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 29% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. California
3 better4 too close to call25 worse
| What stands out | Lake Isabella | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.7% | 15.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.9% | 71.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 18.9% | 5.1% |
Kern Valley Healthcare District
4.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
1st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 9.8% of Lake Isabella
Lake Isabella’s trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Lake Isabella Park, at 74 acres.
#153for trails in CA
| Lake Isabella | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 2.1 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 9.8% | 4.2% | 4.3% |
9.8%
conserved · 1,382 of 14,105 acres
46 mi
of trails · 2.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Isabella Park | — | 74 |
| 2. Uffert Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Lake Isabella
93risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Lake Isabella, expect four seasons and hot summers
July afternoons average 98.3°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 30.7°.
Lake Isabella has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain.
98°summer high
| Lake Isabella | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 98°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 31°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–60°
Spring43–74°
Summer60–96°
Fall45–80°
Nov 3
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Lake Isabella stands out in California and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
Jobs based here fell from 1,456 in 2013 to 863. The average commute for its 967 working residents takes 18.7 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
18% of Lake Isabella working residents work locally. Since 2013, Lake Isabella has lost 593 jobs, to 863 in 2023. The top destinations are Bakersfield (13%), Kernville (7%) and Los Angeles (6%).
18%work in town
| Lake Isabella | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $27,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lake Isabella18%
Bakersfield13%
Kernville7%
Los Angeles6%
Mountain Mesa6%
37 mi
median commute distance
863
jobs based in Lake Isabella
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Isabella
17pages on Lake Isabella
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lake Isabella; the nearest are
Bakersfield CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bakersfield31.3 mi$1,430 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield39.8 mi$8,090 in-state tuitionPorterville CollegeCommunity college · Public · Porterville41.5 mi$1,438 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Lake Isabella residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Lake Isabella
Census-designated place in California, United States
Lake Isabella (formerly, Isabella) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States. It is named after the Lake Isabella reservoir and located at the lake’s southwestern edge, 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wofford Heights in the Kern River Valley. The town of Lake Isabella is located 35 miles (56 km) east-northeast of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2,513 feet (766 m). The population was 3,573 at the 2020 census, up from 3,466 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 22 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,513 ft
- ZIP code
- 93240
Lake Isabella’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Lake Isabella.
BodfishLake Isabella
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Isabella | #756 | D− | B− | — | C+ | D− |
| Bodfish | — | — | B+ | — | C+ | D |
Bodfish has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Lake Isabella and Bodfish report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lake Isabella with a neighbor →
Questions about Lake Isabella
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Isabella, CA a good place to live?
Lake Isabella grades D− overall, better than 3% of U.S. towns and #756 of 841 in California. It grades D− for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Lake Isabella, CA expensive?
That is 3.1 years of the area's median household income ($70,210 across the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.