California›Lake County

MiddletownCA

A town of 1,572, settled in 1875.

Population

1,572

Census survey, 2020–24

Is Middletown a good place to live?

The best of Middletown’s subject grades is a B+ for the outdoors; the weakest is a D− for hazard risk. On hazard risk, just 31 of California’s 1,064 towns do worse. The typical home is worth about $288K, 4.7 years of the Clearlake area’s $61K median household income. Middletown’s trail density is 2.6 miles per square mile, above both California’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). Middletown has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

WeakestD⁻Hazard risk DCost of living

What makes Middletown stand out

Where Middletown beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD⁻

Riskier than 99% of U.S. communities

Inland flooding and wildfire at the top

FEMA National Risk Index.

A shrinking town

Middletown has shrunk 16% from 2010 to 2020

1,323 counted in 2010 and 1,114 in 2020.

1,3232010

1,1142020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

How Middletown grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Middletown is from typical.

How grading works

Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 100% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listD⁻Open →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthAdventist Health Clearlake 15.3 miles awayBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.3 of 20; 2.9% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁻Open →SchoolsB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors5 miles of trailsB⁺Open →HistoryC⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.5; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Middletown: who provides what

Middletown is unincorporated, so Lake County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCallayomi County Water District1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesLake CountyLake County provides services here

SchoolsMiddletown Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereLake County Registrar of VotersLake County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025

ZIP code9546195461 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 Middletown.

HousingCost of living grade D

For cost of living, Middletown earns a D

The typical Middletown home is worth about $288,000, down 1.6% in a year, 62% below the California typical home.

$288KZillow home value

Typical home value

Middletown$288K

California$762K

−1.6%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageMiddletown’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.6% in a year Years of income to buyYears of income to buy Rents$2,083 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsB⁻

Middletown’s public schools trail 51% of California districts

Its public schools are run by the Middletown Unified school district. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Middletown High, with 421 students.

49%of CA districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Middletown MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	320	B⁻
Middletown HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	421	C⁻

Full pageMiddletown’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMiddletown Unified Every school7 schools · Middletown High Questions“Are Middletown’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D⁻

Middletown stands out in California and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

At 100 of 100, Middletown’s FEMA risk score is where California’s towns sit at 88 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100.

100risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageMiddletown’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters5 federal disasters · Paid out in Middletown Get ready0.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Middletown has mild winters and hot summers

Middletown has mild winters and warm summers. The July high in Middletown is 91°F.

91°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter37–57°

Spring43–69°

Summer54–89°

Fall46–76°

Nov 23

typical first frost

Mar 2

typical last frost

+1.4°

vs. the 20th-century average

91°

typical summer high

Full pageMiddletown’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 36°Rain & snow41″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.4° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commute

With 1.5 jobs for every working resident, Middletown draws in 505 commuters

Most working residents leave Middletown for work: only 12% work in town. Jobs based in Middletown grew to 550 in 2023, 81 more than in 2013. Middletown’s average trip to work is 30 minutes.

12%work in town