The Town FilesBig River, California
Community in San Bernardino County · population 1,084 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,200
- Household income
- $39,773
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 108°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 59.5
Big River is a community of 1,084 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $126,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 100% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of California towns, easier by car than 86% of California towns.
How Big River 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 Big River is worth $126,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $39,773, which is more affordable than 97% of California towns. Median rent is $839 a month. 79.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Big River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $839 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $39,773 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 79.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.7% | — |
Who lives in Big River
| People | Big River | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 8.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 13.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Big River
July highs average 108.4°F and January lows 41.5°F. About 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 185 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Big River since 1950.
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 Big River itself the ACS puts it at 11.3%.
Public schools in Big River
1 public school with 70 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monument Peak | K-8 | 70 | 17.5 |
Towns near Big River
- Bluewater, AZ6.1 mi · 682 people · home $147,500
- Cienega Springs, AZ9.5 mi · 1,690 people · home $191,900
- Parker, AZ10.6 mi · 3,417 people · home $300,000
- Parker Strip, AZ16.1 mi · 621 people · home $221,400
- Lake Havasu City, AZ25.0 mi · 57,144 people · home $455,400
- Bouse, AZ26.8 mi · 707 people · home $139,700
- Desert Hills, AZ28.1 mi · 2,764 people · home $281,600
Big River questions
Is Big River, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Big River scores better for retirees than 56% of California towns and quieter than 100%. 36.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.5).
How much does a house cost in Big River?
The median owner-occupied home in Big River is valued at $126,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,773, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $839 a month.
What is the weather like in Big River?
July highs average 108.4°F and January lows 41.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 4.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Big River get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Big River in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)