Lower Lake, California

Lower Lake, California
Census-designated place
Location within Lake County and the state of California
Location within Lake County
and the state of California
Coordinates: 38°54′38″N 122°36′37″W / 38.91056°N 122.61028°W / 38.91056; -122.61028
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyLake
Area
[1]
 • Total
2.692 sq mi (6.971 km2)
 • Land2.667 sq mi (6.907 km2)
 • Water0.025 sq mi (0.064 km2)  0.92%
Elevation
[2]
1,371 ft (418 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,276
 • Density478.5/sq mi (184.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
95457
Area code707
FIPS code06-44350
GNIS feature ID0277549

Lower Lake (formerly Grantville) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Clear Lake region of Lake County, in northern California, United States.[2] As of the 2020 census, Lower Lake had a population of 1,276.[3] Lower Lake is also an Indian rancheria of the Koi Nation people.

Geography

Lower Lake is located 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southwest of the City of Clearlake, and 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Kelseyville.[4] It is at an elevation of 1,371 feet (418 m).[2] Lower Lake was at one point the county seat; the Lake County elections of 1867 were hotly contested, with the seat moving between what is now the city of Lakeport and the town of Lower Lake. In 1870, the feud was settled and Lakeport controlled the seat. Although some believe the seat was stolen from Lower Lake, it has remained in Lakeport for over a century and is no longer a topic of concern for locals. At the 2000 census, according to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 7.9 square miles (20 km2), of which 7.9 square miles (20 km2) was land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.88%) was water.

History

Lower Lake was founded by Isaac Edmund Mitchell in 1858 as Grantville. He built the first house there. The settlement's first post office was opened in 1858.[4]

The population was 1,276 at the 2020 census, up from 1,294 at the 2010 census.

The Clayton Fire started on August 12, 2016, in areas of Lake County not burned in the Valley and Rocky Point Jerusalem Fires which ravaged Lake County in the summer of 2015. On Sunday afternoon, August 14, 2016, all residents of the town were evacuated and fire razed large parts of the downtown and other areas of Lower Lake, including Copsey Creek Way. Many residents lost everything they had.[5]

Lower Lake Stone Jail

The historic Lower Lake Stone Jail was built in 1876 in Lower Lake, from locally quarried stone. It is reputedly the smallest jail in the United States.[6]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19801,043—
19901,21716.7%
20001,75544.2%
20101,294−26.3%
20201,276−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1860–1870[8][9] 1880-1890[10]
1900[11] 1910[12] 1920[13]
1930[14] 1940[15] 1950[16]
1960[17][18] 1970[19] 1980[20]
1990[21] 2000[22] 2010[23]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lower Lake had a population of 1,276 and a population density of 478.4 inhabitants per square mile (184.7/km2). The census reported that 99.1% of the population lived in households, 0.0% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.9% were institutionalized. 72.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 27.7% lived in rural areas.[24][25]

There were 483 households, out of which 114 (23.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 203 (42.0%) were married-couple households, 50 (10.4%) were cohabiting couple households, 123 (25.5%) had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, and 107 (22.2%) had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 107 households (22.2%) were one person, and 50 (10.4%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.62. There were 310 families (64.2% of all households).[24]

The age distribution was 297 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 64 people (5.0%) aged 18 to 24, 334 people (26.2%) aged 25 to 44, 329 people (25.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 252 people (19.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.3 males age 18 and over.[24]

There were 576 housing units at an average density of 216.0 units per square mile (83.4 units/km2), of which 483 (83.9%) were occupied. Of these, 376 (77.8%) were owner-occupied, and 107 (22.2%) were occupied by renters. 16.1% of housing units were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.[24]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[26]
RaceNumberPercent
White83965.8%
Black or African American322.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native362.8%
Asian131.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander50.4%
Some other race20616.1%
Two or more races14511.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)33326.1%

2010 census

At the 2010 census Lower Lake had a population of 1,294. The population density was 480.8 inhabitants per square mile (185.6/km2). The racial makeup of Lower Lake was 1,031 (79.7%) White, 20 (1.5%) African American, 18 (1.4%) Native American, 13 (1.0%) Asian, 1 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 125 (9.7%) from other races, and 86 (6.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 219 people (16.9%).[27]

The census reported that 1,291 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 3 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 552 households, 146 (26.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 216 (39.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 74 (13.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 32 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 40 (7.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 190 households (34.4%) were one person and 73 (13.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.34. There were 322 families (58.3% of households); the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 259 people (20.0%) under the age of 18, 96 people (7.4%) aged 18 to 24, 254 people (19.6%) aged 25 to 44, 449 people (34.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 236 people (18.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.

There were 705 housing units at an average density of 261.9 per square mile, of the occupied units 389 (70.5%) were owner-occupied and 163 (29.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 6.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 13.7%. 938 people (72.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 353 people (27.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 1,755 people, 716 households, and 458 families in the CDP. The median household income was $24,974 and the median family income was $29,896. Males had a median income of $38,750 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,516. About 9.9% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Lower Lake is in the 2nd senatorial district, represented by Democrat Mike McGuire, and in the 4th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Cecilia Aguiar-Curry.[28]

In the United States House of Representatives, Lower Lake is in California's 4th congressional district, represented by Democrat Mike Thompson.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lower Lake, California
  3. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 99. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  5. ↑ "Civilians Escaping on Foot; Sheriff of Lake County Declares Emergency". August 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ "CHL # 429 Lower Lake Stone Jail Lake". californiahistoricallandmarks.com. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Almeda County to Sutter County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties - California - Tehama County to Yuba County" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "1890 Census of Population - Population of California by Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "1900 Census of Population - Population of California by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2025. Retrieved February 4, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Number and Distribution of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 19, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  17. ↑ "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ "1960 Census of Population - General population Characteristics - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  22. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  25. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  26. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  27. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Lower Lake CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  28. ↑ "Final Maps | California Citizens Redistricting Commission". Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  29. ↑ "California's 4th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.