South Lake Tahoe, California, United States

🇺🇸 South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada. The city extends about 5 miles west-south-west along U.S. Route 50, also known as Lake Tahoe Boulevard. The east end of the city, on the California–Nevada state line right next to the town of Stateline, Nevada, is mainly geared towards tourism, with T-shirt shops, restaurants, hotels, and Heavenly Mountain Resort with the Nevada casinos just across the state line in Stateline. The western end of town is mainly residential, and clusters around "The Y", the X-shaped intersection of US 50, State Route 89, and the continuation of Lake Tahoe Boulevard after it loses its federal highway designation.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43 km²), of which 10.2 square miles (26 km²) is land and 6.4 square miles (17 km²), or 38.80%, is water. Its elevation is about 6,237 feet (1,901 m) above sea level.

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census reported that South Lake Tahoe had a population density of 1,289.1 inhabitants per square mile (497.7/km²). The racial makeup of South Lake Tahoe was 15,733 (73.5%) White, 182 (0.9%) African American, 232 (1.1%) Native American, 1,186 (5.5%) Asian, 39 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,230 (15.1%) from other races, and 801 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,665 persons (31.1%).

The Census reported that 21,034 people (98.3% of the population) lived in households, 181 (0.8%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 188 (0.9%) were institutionalized.

There were 8,918 households, out of which 2,421 (27.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,100 (34.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 983 (11.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 594 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 857 (9.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 67 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,918 households (32.7%) were made up of individuals, and 652 (7.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36. There were 4,677 families (52.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.

The population was spread out, with 4,400 people (20.6%) under the age of 18, 2,478 people (11.6%) aged 18 to 24, 6,416 people (30.0%) aged 25 to 44, 6,013 people (28.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,096 people (9.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.7 males.

There were 15,087 housing units at an average density of 908.7 per square mile (350.9/km²), of which 8,918 were occupied, of which 3,473 (38.9%) were owner-occupied, and 5,445 (61.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 14.6%. 7,684 people (35.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 13,350 people (62.4%) lived in rental housing units.

Education South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding unincorporated communities are serviced by Lake Tahoe Unified School District, which is composed of four elementary schools (Bijou Community School, Sierra House Elementary School, Tahoe Valley Elementary School, and the Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School) a middle school (South Tahoe Middle School) and a high school (South Tahoe High School).

Due to budget cuts, Al Tahoe Elementary School and Meyers Elementary School closed in 2004; however, Meyers Elementary School reopened as Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School after a year's absence.

South Lake Tahoe also houses a community college, Lake Tahoe Community College.

Politics The city council of South Lake Tahoe is composed of five elected members: three council members, a Mayor, and a Mayor Pro Tem. The Mayor changes every year and is elected by the City Council.

In the state legislature, South Lake Tahoe is in the 1st Senate District, represented by Republican Brian Dahle, and the 5th Assembly District.

Federally, South Lake Tahoe is in California's 3rd congressional district.

History The city incorporated in 1965 by combining the previously unincorporated communities of Al Tahoe, Bijou, Bijou Park, Stateline, Tahoe Valley, and Tallac Village. A post office was established in 1967.

Gambling arrived at the Lake in 1944, when Harvey's Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall opened in Nevada as one of the area's first gaming establishments. Competition soon sprang up and so did the need for more permanent accommodations. By the 1950s, roads began to be plowed year-round, enabling access to permanent residences. When the 1960 Winter Olympics came to what is now Olympic Valley, Lake Tahoe was put firmly on the map as the skiing centre of the western United States.

In 2012, the Lakeview Commons Park was renamed. As reported in the local media, "The Washoe Tribe has presented the name Tahnu Leweh (Pronounced Tah-New Lay-Way) which, in native language, means 'all the people's place.' It is a name the Tribe would like to gift to El Dorado County and South Lake Tahoe as a symbol of peace, prosperity and goodness".

In August 2021, the entire city was forced to evacuate due to the Caldor Fire.

Transport South Lake Tahoe is served by a major east–west highway, U.S. 50, which links the area with Sacramento, California, and Carson City, Nevada. Highway 50 often faces closures during winter due to bad weather conditions. The Lake Tahoe Airport serves general aviation while the closest scheduled passenger airline service is available via the Reno–Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada. Local bus services is operated by Tahoe Transportation District. El Dorado Transit operates service between South Lake Tahoe, Placerville, and Sacramento.

Climate South Lake Tahoe has a snowy highland climate featuring chilly winters with regular snowfall, and summers that feature warm to hot days and cool nights with very low humidity. The climate is either classified as a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb), using the 27 °F (−2.8 °C) isotherm of the original Köppen scheme, or a continental Mediterranean climate (Köppen Dsb), using the 32 °F (0 °C) isotherm preferred by some climatologists. Summertime is also the dry season, with July averaging only 0.31 inches (7.9 mm) of precipitation, in contrast to December's 3.81 inches (96.8 mm). Depending on the year, snowfall can be extremely heavy in winter, with an average of 88 inches (220 cm), while the wettest “rain year” has been from July 2005 to June 2006 with 31.12 inches (790.4 mm) and the driest from July 2002 to June 2003 with 9.26 inches (235.2 mm). December 2005 has been the wettest month with 13.83 inches (351.3 mm) of total water-equivalent precipitation.