Steep hill, 2015
Lake Nacimiento’s story
Lake Nacimiento in pictures
Census counts: 1,556 in 1990, 2,956 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 5 maps from 1919 on.
Explore the history →Lake NacimientoCA
The town has 3,339 residents and lies in California.
Population
3,339
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$504K
Census ACS
Household income
$92K
median
Median age
39.2
years
Jobs based here
204
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#499 of 841 in CA
Is Lake Nacimiento a good place to live?
Lake Nacimiento grades low on several counts. Cost of living is its weak spot: the typical home is worth about $504K, 5.2 years of the San Luis Obispo metro’s $97K median household income. Its overall grade, C−, puts it better than 20% of U.S. towns. That places it 499th of 841 in California. Walkability is weaker too. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Hazard risk is weaker too: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 93% of U.S. communities, with wildfire at the top. Where it does best is health (A−): it is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
What makes Lake Nacimiento stand out
Where Lake Nacimiento beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Lake Nacimiento has grown 23% from 2010 to 2020
2,411 counted in 2010 and 2,956 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Lake Nacimiento grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Lake Nacimiento is from typical.
Hazard riskWildfire tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthAdventist Health Twin Cities 14.8 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$92K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors9 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC+Open →HistoryLittle recorded history by comparisonDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 93° summer afternoons–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.2; 25% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Lake Nacimiento: who provides what
Lake Nacimiento is unincorporated, so San Luis Obispo County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHeritage Ranch Csd water system10 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSan Luis Obispo CountySan Luis Obispo County provides services here
SchoolsPaso Robles Joint Unified School DistrictSan Miguel Joint Union Elementary School DistrictPaso Robles Joint Unified School District (9-12)3 districts serve Lake Nacimiento; 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 hereSan Luis Obispo County Clerk-ElectionsSan Luis Obispo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2020
ZIP code9344693446 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 Lake Nacimiento.
Lake Nacimiento sends most of its workers to El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) and beyond and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of California.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Lake Nacimiento faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by wildfire
FEMA puts two fifths of Lake Nacimiento’s expected hazard losses down to wildfires, and 31% to inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Lake Nacimiento once, in 2003.
93risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingEarthquakes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Lake Nacimiento’s schools beat 51% of California districts
Its one school is below. Enrollment at Lake Nacimiento’s public school: 220 students.
51%of CA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cappy Culver ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 220 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
For health, Lake Nacimiento earns an A−
Against the California average, Lake Nacimiento comes out ahead on 9 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 4. Lake Nacimiento: 28% of adults have obesity, against 29% in California’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. The share of adults in Lake Nacimiento who get no exercise outside work: 20%.
75%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Lake Nacimiento | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 29% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 24% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 72% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 35% | 36% |
32 measures vs. California
9 better19 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Lake Nacimiento | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.3% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.8% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 6.4% |
Adventist Health Twin Cities
14.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
64th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Few of Lake Nacimiento’s working residents work in town
Lake Nacimiento has 204 jobs for its 1,157 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 45.2 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Lake Nacimiento’s typical journey to work is 45 minutes, above both California’s towns (28 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). It had 204 jobs in 2023, up 93 from 2013. In Lake Nacimiento, 3.5% of residents live below the poverty line. Half of commuters travel less than 24 miles.
5%work in town
| Lake Nacimiento | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 45 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 14% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.1% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Lake Nacimiento5%
El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)17%
San Luis Obispo7%
Atascadero7%
Templeton6%
24 mi
median commute distance
204
jobs based in Lake Nacimiento
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 15% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC+
Conservation land takes up 0.3% of Lake Nacimiento
8.8 miles of trail. Lake Nacimiento’s trail network density comes in at 0.8 miles per square mile.
#426for trails in CA
| Lake Nacimiento | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
0.3%
conserved · 21 of 6,700 acres
8.8 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
The climate in Lake Nacimiento brings mild winters and hot summers
The Paso Robles Muni Ap weather station, 14 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 213 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 82% of California places with climate records. January nights average 36.2°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 77% of California places with climate records; July afternoons average 92.1°.
Snow is almost unheard of. Its typical July afternoon high stands at 92°F.
93°summer high
| Lake Nacimiento | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 92°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter36–62°
Spring43–73°
Summer52–91°
Fall45–79°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Lake Nacimiento sells for about $635K
For households in Lake Nacimiento, the share who live in a home they own is 86%. In Lake Nacimiento, the median rent is $1,793 a month. Homes sold in Lake Nacimiento spent a median 77 days on the market.
$635Kmedian sale price
| Lake Nacimiento | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,793 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
77
days on market
99.3%
sale-to-list price
6
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Hearst Castle and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Nacimiento. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi State parkHearst Castle
25 mi LandmarkFort Hunter Liggett
10 mi MuseumMission San Miguel Arcángel25 mi LandmarkLanding of the first Filipinos
33 mi MuseumMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
32 mi State parkMontaña de Oro State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hearst Castle: No machine-readable author provided. Urban~commonswiki assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Hunter Liggett: Binksternet, Public domain · Mission San Miguel Arcángel: Jsweida, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa: Stephen Lea, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Montaña de Oro State Park: BorisFromStockdale, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Nacimiento
17pages on Lake Nacimiento
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lake Nacimiento; the nearest are
Cuesta CollegeCommunity college · Public · San Luis Obispo28.5 mi$1,350 in-state tuitionCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoUniversity or college · Public · San Luis Obispo32.1 mi$13,596 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Lake Nacimiento residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Lake Nacimiento for work
Where Lake Nacimiento’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
204jobs based in Lake Nacimiento
5%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Lake Nacimiento
Census-designated place in California, United States
Lake Nacimiento is a census-designated place (CDP) in northern San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population of Lake Nacimiento was 2,956 at the 2020 census, up from 2,411 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 10 sq mi
- Elevation
- 984 ft
Questions about Lake Nacimiento
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Nacimiento, CA a good place to live?
Lake Nacimiento grades C− overall, better than 20% of U.S. towns and #499 of 841 in California. It grades A− for health and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Lake Nacimiento, CA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $504,000, 34% 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 D.