Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Big Bear Lake vs Jackson

356 miles apart. The biggest differences: seasonal homes (+69.1 pts in Big Bear Lake) and work from home (+18.2 pts in Big Bear Lake).

×
Big Bear Lake, CAHomes around $530KCalifornia · 5,041 people
×
Jackson, CAOne of the healthiest townsCalifornia · 5,048 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Life in each

Big Bear Lake gets 59 more inches of snow a year

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Big Bear LakeJackson
Snow a year59″0″
January low24°F40°F
July high80°F95°F
Growing season (days)131d332d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)86th81st
Outdoors & history
Big Bear LakeJackson
Trails6 mi0 mi
Conserved land5.3%0.7%
Settled—1848
National Register places—9
Archive photos812
Famous people born here5—
Community
Big Bear LakeJackson
Library hours a week29 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $610 more a month in Big Bear Lake

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Big Bear Lake$3,110/mo
Typical home $530K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $1,454/mo · Housing →
Jackson$2,500/mo
Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $1,429/mo · Housing →

The difference: $610 a month, about $7,300 a year, between Big Bear Lake and Jackson.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Jackson places higher on 12 of 20 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Where they are

356 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Big Bear Lake ↔ Jackson356 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Big Bear LakeJackson
People
Population 5,041Lowest 5,048Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5%Lowest CA: +6.1% +7.9%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 46.6±7.2Lowest 23% above CA 50.2±6.1Highest 32% above CA
Jackson and Big Bear Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.2%±5.1Highest CA: 22% 16.9%±4.4Lowest CA: 22%
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.5%±4.1Lowest CA: 15.7% 38%±7.1Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 23.6%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±2.2Highest CA: 7.6% 3.6%±2.1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $76,250±$5kHighest 23% below CA $70,239±$18kLowest 29% below CA
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $576,700±$87kHighest 22% below CA $442,700±$49kLowest 40% below CA
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,454±$200Highest 29% below CA $1,429±$151Lowest 30% below CA
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,239Highest 17% below CA $2,632Lowest 49% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.5%±5Highest CA: 55.3% 58.7%±20.3Lowest CA: 55.3%
Big Bear Lake and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.2%Lowest CA: 12% 10.9%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.9%Highest CA: 55.9% 60.5%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest same as CA 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 14% below CA 20 minLowest 30% below CA
Work from home 20.8%±5.6Highest CA: 17.2% 2.6%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 13%Highest 11.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 67.3 miHighest 39.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.17Highest 1.11Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (14%)Sacramento (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in JacksonFew work in Big Bear Lake
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.3%Highest 0.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 6.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 107Highest 52.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #358 of 574 in CA#270 of 574 in CA
School district Bear Valley UnifiedAmador County ROP · Amador County Unified
High school in town None in townArgonaut High
Students per teacherat that high school — 19.1
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Big Bear Lake neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Bear Lake’s Town Square.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Big Bear Lake and Jackson

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Big Bear Lake

Towns like Big Bear Lake

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Big Bear Lake

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in