Living in South Lake Tahoe, CA
Resort town in California
South Lake Tahoe is a resort town in California, home to about 21,000 people, with 150,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is South Lake Tahoe a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 77°F
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
- Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
- Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 150,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer graduates: 34% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how South Lake Tahoe ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in South Lake Tahoe: common questions
What is the cost of living in South Lake Tahoe?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $659k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,000 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 111, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in South Lake Tahoe?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.57% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is South Lake Tahoe safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in South Lake Tahoe?
South Lake Tahoe has cold winters: winter days average around 43°F and summer days around 77°F, with roughly 22″ of snow a year.
Does South Lake Tahoe get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.31 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to South Lake Tahoe?
The nearest major airport is RNO, about 41 mi away.
How South Lake Tahoe scores
Each bar compares South Lake Tahoe with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is South Lake Tahoe right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.