2009-0727-CA-Helendale, 2009
Silver Lakes’s story
Silver Lakes in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
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Silver LakesCA
A town of 6,977.
Photo: Doc Searls · CC BY 2.0
Population
6,977
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$384K
Census ACS
Household income
$116K
median
Median age
36.1
years
Jobs based here
302
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#451 of 841 in CA
Is Silver Lakes a good place to live?
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 98% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Overall it grades C−, 451st of 841 graded towns in California. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $384K for a typical one and 4.3 times the Riverside metro’s $90K median household income. Silver Lakes’ average trip to work is 42 minutes, above both the California town median (28 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). On history, just 80 of California’s 1,063 towns do worse.
What makes Silver Lakes stand out
Where Silver Lakes beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A growing town
Silver Lakes has grown 12% from 2010 to 2020
5,623 counted in 2010 and 6,317 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Silver Lakes grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Silver Lakes is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingCOpen →HealthVictor Valley Global Medical Center 15.5 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →Jobs & incomeBOpen →
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.
ClimateMild winters, 100° summer afternoons–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.1; 25% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Silver Lakes: who provides what
Silver Lakes is unincorporated, so San Bernardino County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHelendale Community Service DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSan Bernardino CountySan Bernardino County provides services here
SchoolsHelendale Elementary School DistrictVictor Valley Union High School District2 districts serve Silver Lakes; 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 Bernardino Registrar of VotersSan Bernardino County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9234292342 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 Silver Lakes.
Silver Lakes has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, sends most of its workers to Los Angeles and beyond and owes part of its health edge to its incomes.
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 0.5% of Silver Lakes
18 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Silver Lakes’ trail density is 3.2 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Helendale Community Park, at 71 acres.
#68for trails in CA
| Silver Lakes | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 3.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
0.5%
conserved · 20 of 3,620 acres
18 mi
of trails · 3.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Helendale Community Park | — | 71 |
| 2. Parmelee Field | — | 6 |
| 3. Helendale Dog Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Silver Lakes fall behind 61% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Helendale Elementary school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
39%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helendale ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 541 | B− |
| Academy of Careers and ExplorationLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 285 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Very high risk in Silver Lakes, with inland flooding at the top
98risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most working residents commute out of Silver Lakes
Silver Lakes has 302 jobs for its 1,812 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here fell from 472 in 2013 to 302.
Most working residents leave Silver Lakes for work: only 6% work in town. The median household income in Silver Lakes is $116,000. Since 2013, Silver Lakes has lost 170 jobs, to 302 in 2023.
6%work in town
| Silver Lakes | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $116,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Silver Lakes6%
Los Angeles8%
Victorville8%
San Bernardino4%
Apple Valley3%
61 mi
median commute distance
302
jobs based in Silver Lakes
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 35% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Silver Lakes earns a B+ for health
Against the 6,327 U.S. towns with household incomes like Silver Lakes’s, it is less healthy than 59%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
75% of Silver Lakes adults had a checkup this year. Silver Lakes beats the California average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 21% of Silver Lakes adults get no exercise outside work.
71%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Silver Lakes | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 72% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 24% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. California
10 better16 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Silver Lakes | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.5% | 17.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 10.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.5% | 6.4% |
Victor Valley Global Medical Center
15.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
59th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Silver Lakes, expect mild winters and hot summers
The Victorville weather station, 15 miles away, records that about 119 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 99.8°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34.7°.
Silver Lakes has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
100°summer high
| Silver Lakes | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 100°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 35°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–61°
Spring47–76°
Summer64–97°
Fall49–80°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
100°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C
A home in Silver Lakes sells for about $448K at the median
85% of households own their home in Silver Lakes.
$448Kmedian sale price
| Silver Lakes | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 85% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,720 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
29
days on market
99%
sale-to-list price
12
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Silver Lakes
17pages on Silver Lakes
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Silver Lakes; the nearest are
Victor Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Victorville19.6 mi$1,425 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-San BernardinoUniversity or college · Public · San Bernardino39 mi$8,093 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Silver Lakes residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Get outside
18 miles of trails in Silver Lakes
0.5% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
1
Helendale Community Park71 acres
2
Parmelee Field6 acres
3
Helendale Dog Park1 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Silver Lakes
Unincorporated community in California, United States
Helendale or Silver Lakes is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in the Victor Valley of the Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, California. It is on historic Route 66, west of the Mojave Freeway (I-15), between Barstow and Victorville. The name Helendale is used by the USPS, while Silver Lakes is used by the US Census. The 2020 United States census reported Silver Lakes's population was 6,317.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,430 ft
- ZIP code
- 92342
- Area code
- 909
Questions about Silver Lakes
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Silver Lakes, CA a good place to live?
Silver Lakes grades C− overall, better than 24% of U.S. towns and #451 of 841 in California. It grades B+ for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Silver Lakes, CA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $384,000, 50% 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.