Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 13,051 in California.
Several subjects drag its grade down. Its weakest subject is incomes — the median household income is $61K, and nearly a fifth of residents live below the poverty line. It lags on hazard risk as well — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 89% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Homes run about $322K for a typical one, 3.4 times the Los Angeles metro’s $96K median household income. Put together, the subjects come to a D− overall, ranking 828th of 841 in California. That leaves it behind almost every U.S. town. Lake Los Angeles has 1 place on the National Register. Lake Los Angeles’ average commute is 43 minutes, above both California’s towns (28 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes).
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow · National Register of Historic Places.
Where Lake Los Angeles’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Lake Los Angeles is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 7,977 in 1990, 13,187 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 4 maps from 1930 on.
Explore the history →Lake Los Angeles is unincorporated, so Los Angeles County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Lake Los Angeles.
Lake Los Angeles has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and sends most of its workers to Los Angeles and beyond, but it has many renters stretched by housing costs.
39% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Lake Los Angeles. Against the California average, Lake Los Angeles comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 25. Two figures for adults locally: 44% feel lonely, 34% worry about having enough food.
| Lake Los Angeles | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 22% | 19% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 36% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Lake Los Angeles | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.3% | 6.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 33.7% | 17.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Of the losses FEMA expects in Lake Los Angeles, 68% come from inland flooding and 28% from earthquakes. One claim on flood insurance has been paid out in the town since 2025. Federal aid has come to Lake Los Angeles households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2025.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Lake Los Angeles has 373 jobs for its 4,844 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 43.3 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
In Lake Los Angeles, 19% of residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Lake Los Angeles has added 107 jobs, to 373 in 2023. The median commute is under 44 miles. The top destinations are Los Angeles (21%), Lancaster (11%) and Palmdale (8%).
| Lake Los Angeles | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 43 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Palmdale weather station, 15 miles away, records that about 118 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 97°, hotter than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34.3°.
Lake Los Angeles’ midsummer high stands at 97°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Lake Los Angeles | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 97°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 34°F | 41°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Trails total 1.6 miles in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Stephen Sorensen Park, at 95 acres. Lake Los Angeles’ concentration of trails comes in at 0.2 miles per square mile.
| Lake Los Angeles | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Stephen Sorensen Park | — | 95 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
75% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 55.3% across California. The median property tax bill is $2,350, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
On the market in Lake Los Angeles: a median 37 days to sell. In Lake Los Angeles, the typical rent is $1,530 a month. Also worth knowing: half of the homes sold in Lake Los Angeles went for more than their asking price.
| Lake Los Angeles | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,530 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Los Angeles. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi DamSt. Francis Dam
25 mi MountainMount San Antonio
37 mi MuseumThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
29 mi Park & preserveVasquez Rocks
26 mi National forestAngeles National Forest
27 mi LandmarkBalls 8St. Francis Dam: Stearns, H.T. USGS, Public domain · Mount San Antonio: The original uploader was Tillman at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0 · The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: By Aaron Logan, CC BY 1.0 · Vasquez Rocks: Thomas from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Angeles National Forest: Geographer at en.wikipedia, CC BY 1.0 · Balls 8: NASA/Tony Landis, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Lake Los Angeles; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Lake Los Angeles residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Census-designated place in California, United States
Lake Los Angeles is a census-designated place (CDP) in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 13,187 at the 2020 census, up from 12,328 at the 2010 census. It is located 17 miles (27 km) east of Palmdale's Civic Center. According to the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance report of 2009, the Palmdale / Lancaster urban area has a population of 483,998, of which Lake Los Angeles is a part.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Lake Los Angeles grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #828 of 841 in California. It grades C− for health and C− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
The typical home is worth about $322,000, 58% below the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
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