Interesting Facts & Information

Interesting Facts & Information. The Town of Mammoth Lakes (TOML) is a small region of only four square miles, and as of 2020, Mammoth Lakes’ population is now a total 9,637 full time residents. 

Incorporated in 1984, the TOML is a relatively young town, and is located in the Inyo National Forest within Mono County. The TOML is surrounded by acres of forest and is bordered by the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas. Yosemite National Park’s eastern entrance is located just 32 miles north of town, and is a 100-mile drive to the valley floor.

The TOML occupies a site in the southern half of Mono County, which is comprised of a total of 3,018 square miles. Mono County’s area is marked by the staggering contrast between its eastern and western boundaries. Bounded on the west by the Sierra Nevada crest, this region is characterized by its mountains, lakes, streams and forests. Unlike the gentle, rolling escarpment west of the crest, the eastern slope of the Sierra plunges dramatically to the valley floors. The TOML is situated in the southwestern, mountainous region of the county, and many of its trails, campgrounds and roads either abut or cross the crest of the Sierra.

The TOML’s economy is primarily tourism-based; the importance of visitor dollars to the local economy is made clear by the existence of a functional arm of the Mammoth Lakes municipality called the Mammoth Lakes Tourism & Recreation Department. The Tourism and Recreation Department’s mission is to promote the TOML, increase tourism, help coordinate the marketing efforts of the total tourism community, and to provide complete, objective information to our visiting guests. The Tourism & Recreation Department in partnership with the Inyo National Forest maintains the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, a facility dedicated to providing information about the Mammoth Lakes region to walk-in customers.

The backbone of the Town’s tax revenue is the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). The 13% tax is added to the rental of any lodging units and campgrounds for stays of less than a month. There are more than 4,774 rental units in Mammoth Lakes and the lodging industry generates around two-thirds of the TOML Lakes gross revenue. It is estimated that the TOML receives 1.3 million visitors in the winter and 1.5 million in the summer for an annual average of 2.8 million visits. Results from the Visitor Survey’s find an average visitor stays 5 nights per visit in the summer and 4 nights per visit in the winter for an average of 4.5 nights per visit. The average size of a visiting party is 4.1 in the summer and 4.75 in the winter for an average of 4.425 nights per visit.

The actual Town of Mammoth is divided into various residential subdivisions zoned for SFR. There is currently a town ordinance in place that does not allow for transient rentals of SFR. There are also many condominium developments throughout Town that many owners put on a nightly rental program to help offset their costs.

The unemployment rate in Mammoth Lakes is 7.8 percent (U.S. avg. is 6%). Compared to the rest of the country, Mammoth Lakes’ cost of living is 37.50% higher than the U.S. average.

Vacancy Rate in Mammoth

Renters make up 15.18% of the Mammoth Lakes, CA population. 69.58% of houses and apartments in Mammoth Lakes are unoccupied (vacancy rate).

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