Lake County, California

Lake County
Interactive map of Lake County
Location in the state of California
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionNorth Coast
IncorporatedMay 20, 1861
Named afterClear Lake
County seatLakeport
Largest cityClearlake
Government
 • TypeCouncil–CAO
 • BodyBoard of Supervisors
 • ChairBrad Rasmussen
 • Vice ChairJessica Pyska
 • Board of Supervisors
Supervisors
  • Helen Owen
  • Bruno Sabatier
  • Eddie "EJ" Crandell
  • Brad Rasmussen
  • Jessica Pyska
 • County Administrative OfficerSusan R Parker
Area
 • Total
1,329 sq mi (3,440 km2)
 • Land1,256 sq mi (3,250 km2)
 • Water73 sq mi (190 km2)
Highest elevation
7,059 ft (2,152 m)
Population
 • Total
68,163
 • Estimate 
(2024)
67,764
 • Density54.27/sq mi (20.95/km2)
GDP
 • Total$2.274 billion (2022)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Area code707
FIPS code06-033
GNIS feature ID277281
Congressional district4th
Websitehttps://www.lakecountyca.gov/

Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 68,163. The county seat is Lakeport. The county takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest non-extinct natural lake wholly within California. (Lake Tahoe is partially in Nevada; the Salton Sea was formed by flooding; Tulare Lake was drained by the agricultural industry.)

Lake County forms the Clearlake, California micropolitan statistical area. It is directly north of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Lake County is part of California's Wine Country, which also includes Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. It includes nine American Viticultural Areas and around 20 bonded wineries.