In Lake County, California, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in three dollars of the typical household's income
In Lake County, 34.9% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is higher than in 99% of U.S. counties.
More distressed than 93% of U.S. counties.
What drives Lake County's score
In Lake County, housing costs weigh most: the score for housing costs is 97.2. Jobs come next, at 96.8.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Lake County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Lake County does better than most counties on two measures: people with a car or retail loan behind (4.6%, August 2025) and people without health insurance (6.9%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 97.2 of 100
Housing costs
Biggest factorRenters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent28.6% · 2020 to 202495th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income34.9% · fiscal year 202799th percentile
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- 96.8 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year7.2% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202697th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working35.1% · 2020 to 202496th percentile
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- 76.3 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line19.7% · 202486th percentile
- Children below the poverty line26.3% · 202485th percentile
- People with a disability21.6% · 2020 to 202487th percentile
- People without health insurance6.9% · 2020 to 202441st percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$55,489 · 202481st percentile
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- 67.7 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind8.1% · August 202585th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.6% · August 202541st percentile
- People with a subprime credit score48.7% · second quarter of 202676th percentile
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- 54.1 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector27.6% · August 202566th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people112 · 202542nd percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Lake County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Lake County, 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Lake County
California
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Lake County, benefit checks' share of income has doubled since 1969, but pay from work still brings in 29% more than benefit checks in 2024
In Lake County, California, benefit checks' share of income doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 37.4%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
SNAP food aid is one of the benefit checks counted in the income totals above.
The share of households in Lake County getting SNAP food aid tripled to 24.3%, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2021 to 2022, reaching 18.3%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Lake County, California.
How Lake County has changed
Lake County's population had its largest rise, from 24,131 in 1974 to 34,740 in 1979.
Lake County's population grew to about four times its 1969 size in 2024, reaching 67,764
High on the chart: 67,829 in 2019. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Lake County, California.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Lake County nearly doubled to 17,762, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2020 to 2025, reaching 17,762. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Lake County, California.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 8.9% | 2025 7.3% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 15.1% | 2024 19.7% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $20,145 | 2024 $55,489 |
The table uses 7.3% for 2025; the score uses 7.2% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Lake County's history
1861
Created in 1861 from parts of Napa and Mendocino counties. Wikipedia
1868
Cache Creek Dam 1864 diverted waters flooding Lower Lake and Anderson Ranch, dam destroyed. Wikipedia
1920
National prohibition 1920 ended Lake County wine production, vineyards replanted to walnuts and pears. Wikipedia
2006
A flood in January 2006 did $1 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2017
A flood in February 2017 did $7 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 68,163, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
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Since 1964
25 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Lake County, 16 of them for flooding. FEMA
Lake County beside its neighbors
Lake County scores higher than all six counties that border it. Of the group, Lake County gets the largest share of its income from benefit checks (37.4%).
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, CA | 93 | 19.7% | 37.4% |
| Glenn County, CA | 74 | 15.5% | 28.4% |
| Mendocino County, CA | 63 | 13.4% | 33.6% |
| Colusa County, CA | 58 | 13.6% | 21.5% |
| Yolo County, CA | 46 | 17.4% | 17.3% |
| Napa County, CA | 30 | 7.8% | 14.5% |
| Sonoma County, CA | 29 | 8.4% | 17.2% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Lake County the poorest county in California?
No, Lake County's poverty rate was 19.7% in 2024, 4th highest of 58 in California (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Trinity County, at 23.0%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Lake County ranks 1st of 58 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Lake County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Legal Services of Northern California
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Lake County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.