The Town FilesBarstow, California
City in San Bernardino County · population 25,415 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,000
- Household income
- $53,380
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 102°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 32.7
Barstow is a city of 25,415 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $245,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of California towns.
How Barstow ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Barstow is worth $245,000, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $53,380, which is more affordable than 84% of California towns. Median rent is $1,091 a month. 43.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Barstow | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,091 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $53,380 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 43.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Barstow
| People | Barstow | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 93.3% |
Weather in Barstow
July highs average 102.1°F and January lows 35.3°F. About 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 133 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Barstow since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 29, 1990 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 29, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 1, 2016.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Barstow itself the ACS puts it at 11.9%.
Public schools in Barstow
13 public schools with 6,415 students, about 25.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barstow High | 9-12 | 1,549 | 24.6 |
| Barstow Junior High | 7-8 | 703 | 26.0 |
| Mojave River Academy - Silver Mountain (charter) | K-12 | 565 | 24.6 |
| Henderson Elementary | K-5 | 506 | 25.3 |
| Cameron Elementary | K-5 | 493 | 23.5 |
| Crestline Elementary | K-5 | 476 | 23.8 |
| Montara Elementary | K-5 | 456 | 26.8 |
| Barstow Intermediate | 6-6 | 410 | 29.3 |
| Barstow Fine Arts Academy | K-5 | 404 | 21.3 |
| Barstow STEM Academy | 5-8 | 391 | 30.1 |
| Skyline North Elementary | K-5 | 388 | 25.9 |
| Central High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 74 | 18.5 |
Towns near Barstow
- Lenwood, CA3.9 mi · 3,623 people · home $194,300
- Silver Lakes, CA19.0 mi · 6,317 people · home $383,600
- Apple Valley, CA24.9 mi · 75,791 people · home $407,400
- Spring Valley Lake, CA28.6 mi · 9,598 people · home $463,000
- Victorville, CA29.3 mi · 134,810 people · home $385,600
- Adelanto, CA30.0 mi · 38,046 people · home $349,100
Barstow questions
Is Barstow, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Barstow scores better for retirees than 14% of California towns and quieter than 27%. 12.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.7).
How much does a house cost in Barstow?
The median owner-occupied home in Barstow is valued at $245,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,380, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,091 a month.
What is the weather like in Barstow?
July highs average 102.1°F and January lows 35.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 5.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Barstow get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Barstow since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 29, 1990. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)