Clearlake is a city in Lake County, California, positioned along the eastern and southern shores of Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake lying entirely within the state. With about 16,700 residents, it is one of only two incorporated cities in the county, and it sits at roughly 1,400 feet of elevation in the Coast Range foothills of Northern California, north of the Napa Valley wine country. Incorporated in 1980, the city grew around the lake's resort and recreation economy and remains closely tied to the water. Clear Lake itself is the defining feature of local life. The lake is celebrated as one of the premier largemouth bass fisheries in the country, and its shoreline supports boating, swimming, and water sports through facilities such as Clear Lake State Park. Nearby Anderson Marsh State Historic Park protects wetlands and archaeological sites with a human history measured in millennia, underscoring the region's deep past. The lake also gives the city its scenic backdrop, with many neighborhoods oriented toward water and hillside views. Economically, Clearlake leans on healthcare and retail, with Adventist Health and major grocery retailers among the larger employers, supplemented by lake-related tourism and recreation. The housing stock is broad, spanning older and manufactured homes, mid-century residences, and newer subdivisions, often along tree-lined hillside roads, with lakefront properties commanding the shoreline. Students are served by the Konocti Unified School District, and State Route 53—part of it designated the Clearlake Expressway—connects the city to State Routes 29 and 20 and the rest of Lake County. For those seeking lake-centered living at a gentler pace and cost than California's coastal cities, Clearlake offers a distinctive foothill-and-water setting.