LakeWildwoodCalifornia, 2008
Lake Wildwood’s story
Lake Wildwood in pictures
Census counts: 4,868 in 2000, 5,158 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2008 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
Explore the history →
Lake WildwoodCA
4,792 residents make their home in this town in California.
Bridgeport Covered Bridge · Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,792
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$552K
Census ACS
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
57.3
years
Jobs based here
213
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#595 of 841 in CA
Is Lake Wildwood a good place to live?
A tough set of grades. Its lowest grade is for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $552K, 6.1 years of the Truckee area’s $90K median household income. Taken together, its subjects give Lake Wildwood a D overall, better than just over a tenth of U.S. towns. That places it 595th of 841 in California. Health is its strong suit — it is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. Walkability is weaker too. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 96% of U.S. towns. It also trails on hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
What makes Lake Wildwood stand out
Where Lake Wildwood beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Lake Wildwood for work
Where Lake Wildwood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
213jobs based in Lake Wildwood
3%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Lake Wildwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Lake Wildwood is from typical.
Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.4 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listDOpen →HealthSierra Nevada Memorial Hospital 8.1 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsBeat 57% of California districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Jobs & income$86K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 2% conserved landC+Open →HistoryAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Lake Wildwood: who provides what
Lake Wildwood is unincorporated, so Nevada County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNevada Id - Lake Wildwood water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesNevada CountyNevada County provides services here
SchoolsPenn Valley Union Elementary School DistrictNevada Joint Union High School District2 districts serve Lake Wildwood; 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 hereNevada County Clerk - ElectionsNevada County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9594695946 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 Wildwood.
Who lives here
42% of residents are 65 or older
Among adults 25 and older in Lake Wildwood, 46% hold a bachelor’s degree or more. The town’s age of the median resident is 57.3 years, where California’s towns sit at 39 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years.
57.3median age · CA 37.9
| Lake Wildwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 46% | 29% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 17% | 22% | 22% |
Lake WildwoodCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
22%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school22%
Some college22%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.4 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Lake Wildwood | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.2% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.9% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.1% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.4% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.3% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 22.4% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 19.8% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.8% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.3% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.9% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.3% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.5% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19.3% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,800, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Top of a very high hazard risk in Lake Wildwood: inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Lake Wildwood, 55% come from inland flooding and 29% from avalanches.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingAvalanchesWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Lake Wildwood sends most of its workers out of town
Lake Wildwood has 213 jobs for its 1,400 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
The top destinations are Grass Valley (16%), Nevada City (6%) and San Francisco (4%). Commuting out is the norm in Lake Wildwood: 3% of working residents work locally. Its typical journey to work is 35 minutes, above both the California town median (28 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). It had 213 jobs in 2023, down 55 from 2013.
3%work in town
| Lake Wildwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lake Wildwood3%
Grass Valley16%
Nevada City6%
San Francisco4%
Sacramento3%
25 mi
median commute distance
213
jobs based in Lake Wildwood
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 4% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
More of Lake Wildwood’s adults had a checkup this year than in the typical California or U.S. town
The share of adults in Lake Wildwood who feel lonely: 30%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Lake Wildwood is ahead of California on 15 and behind on 7.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Lake Wildwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 31% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 16% |
32 measures vs. California
15 better10 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Lake Wildwood | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7% | 14.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.2% | 10.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.3% | 6.4% |
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
8.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
62nd
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
The climate in Lake Wildwood brings mild winters and hot summers
The peak summer temperature in Lake Wildwood is 93°F.
93°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–56°
Spring46–69°
Summer60–90°
Fall49–75°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Apr 1
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC+
Open space protected for good: 1.5% of Lake Wildwood
Lake Wildwood’s trail network density is 0.1 miles per square mile. In 2 parks and preserves, walkers have 0.4 miles of trail.
1.5%conserved
| Lake Wildwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
1.5%
conserved · 33 of 2,234 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Wildwood Community Center | — | 6 |
| 2. Commodore Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D−
The median home in Lake Wildwood sells for about $482K
A home in Lake Wildwood typically sold within 57 days of listing. The typical rent for Lake Wildwood comes to $2,507 a month. Also worth knowing: 85% of households own their home in the town.
$482Kmedian sale price
| Lake Wildwood | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,507 a month | $1,895 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 85% | 64% | 73% |
Market temperature
57
days on market
98.5%
sale-to-list price
11
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake Wildwood
17pages on Lake Wildwood
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lake Wildwood; the nearest are
Yuba CollegeCommunity college · Public · Marysville19.7 mi$1,128 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-SacramentoUniversity or college · Public · Sacramento48.1 mi$8,018 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Lake Wildwood residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Lake Wildwood
Place in California, United States
Lake Wildwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Nevada County, California, United States. The population was 5,158 at the 2020 census, up from 4,991 at the 2010 census. Lake Wildwood is mainly a gated community and news about the CDP is published in a twice a month newspaper, The Wildwood Independent. Local businesses and residences are listed in the annual "Penn Valley Area Directory" published by "Pine Tree Press".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,529 ft
Questions about Lake Wildwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake Wildwood, CA a good place to live?
Lake Wildwood grades D overall, better than 11% of U.S. towns and #595 of 841 in California. It grades B+ for health and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Lake Wildwood, CA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $552,000, 28% 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−.