Scenic view in Northern California, 2012
West Bishop’s story
West Bishop in pictures
Census counts: 2,908 in 1990, 2,754 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
Explore the history →West BishopCA
In California, this town has 2,551 residents.
Population
2,551
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$616K
Census ACS
Household income
$115K
median
Median age
45.5
years
Jobs based here
313
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#281 of 841 in CA
Is West Bishop a good place to live?
West Bishop’s weakest is cost of living (C−) — the typical home is worth about $616K, 8.3 years of the Bishop area’s $74K median household income. Overall, West Bishop earns a C+, better than two fifths of U.S. towns. The ranking puts it 281st of 841 in California. It also trails on hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities, with heat waves at the top. Health is its strong suit: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 87% of the country. 70% of the land in the town is conserved, above both the California town median (4.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Its trail network density is 5.3 miles per square mile, above both California’s towns (1.0) and U.S. towns (0.4). 29% of residents are 65 or older in West Bishop, where California’s towns sit at 16% and U.S. towns at 18%.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · USGS PAD-US · OpenStreetMap.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave West Bishop for work
Where West Bishop’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
313jobs based in West Bishop
6%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How West Bishop grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far West Bishop is from typical.
Hazard riskheat waves tops the listDOpen →HealthNorthern Inyo Hospital 3.7 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Jobs & income$115K median household incomeB+Open →SchoolsBOpen →
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.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to West Bishop: who provides what
West Bishop is unincorporated, so Inyo County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterIndian Creek Csd water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesInyo CountyInyo County provides services here
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 hereInyo County Clerk-ElectionsInyo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9351493514 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 West Bishop.
West Bishop keeps more of its land conserved than most of California, has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns and sends most of its workers to Bishop and beyond.
OutdoorsA+
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, trail density in West Bishop is higher
Its 3,915 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in any other California town. Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #1 of 847 in California.
Walkers can cover 46 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. West Bishop has one park or preserve, 6 acres in all.
#13for trails in CA
70.2%
conserved · 3,915 of 5,574 acres
46 mi
of trails · 5.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Izaak Walton Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
55%of CA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inyo Co Small Steps Infant Toddler and PreSch ProgramLargest public school before high school | – | – | |
| Jill Kinmont BootheLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 7 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthA
West Bishop earns an A for health
West Bishop beats the California average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. In West Bishop, 27% of adults sleep under 7 hours. 30% of adults in West Bishop feel lonely; 14% report frequent mental distress.
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| West Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 29% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
17 better10 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | West Bishop | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.3% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.3% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.8% | 6.4% |
Northern Inyo Hospital
3.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
81st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
West Bishop has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from heat waves
FEMA puts 45% of West Bishop’s expected hazard losses down to heat waves, and 29% to earthquakes. Flood insurance has paid one claim in the town since 2012.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Heat wavesEarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2012
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
West Bishop is older than the California average
West Bishop: 47% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. In West Bishop, the age of the median resident is 45.5 years.
45.5median age · CA 37.9
| West Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 29% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 47% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 45.5 years | 39 years | 40.5 years |
West BishopCaliforniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school16%
Some college23%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4 points. Across California, 50.1% of residents are women.
| West Bishop | CA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.9% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 1.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10% | 14.8% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.3% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 12.1% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 17.8% | 9.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.3% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.4% | 15.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 16.4% | 20.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.4% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.8% | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28% | 22.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19% | 14.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in three of West Bishop’s working residents commute to Bishop
West Bishop has 313 jobs for its 1,379 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 16.5 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Commuting out is the norm in West Bishop: 6% of working residents work locally. In West Bishop, the average trip to work is 17 minutes. Jobs based in West Bishop grew to 313 in 2023, 41 more than in 2013. For residents locally, the share who live below the poverty line is 5.9%.
6%work in town
| West Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $115,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.9% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In West Bishop6%
Bishop32%
Mammoth Lakes9%
Fresno3%
Independence2%
35 mi
median commute distance
313
jobs based in West Bishop
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 31% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
A typical January night in West Bishop is 27°F, against 41°F in California’s towns and 22°F across U.S. towns
July afternoons average 95.8°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 27.2°.
West Bishop brings chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. The July high for West Bishop comes to 96°F.
96°summer high
| West Bishop | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 96°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 27°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–54°
Spring40–70°
Summer58–93°
Fall42–74°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Bishop
16pages on West Bishop
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of West Bishop; the nearest are
Reedley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Reedley75.4 mi$1,334 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-FresnoUniversity or college · Public · Fresno79.7 mi$7,350 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 West Bishop residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About West Bishop
Census-designated place in California, United States
West Bishop is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 2,754 at the 2020 census, up from 2,607 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 8.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,403 ft
West Bishop’s neighbors
One town shares a border with West Bishop.
BishopWest Bishop
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bishop | #281 | C+ | C− | — | B | A |
| Bishop | #470 | C− | D | D | B | A− |
West Bishop reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare West Bishop with a neighbor →
Questions about West Bishop
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Bishop, CA a good place to live?
West Bishop grades C+ overall, better than 40% of U.S. towns and #281 of 841 in California. It grades A for health and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is West Bishop, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.