The Town FilesPhelan, California
Community in San Bernardino County · population 13,859 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $386,800
- Household income
- $79,914
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.4
Phelan is a community of 13,859 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $386,800, below the typical California town ($596,900).
How Phelan 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 Phelan is worth $386,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $79,914, which is more affordable than 80% of California towns. Median rent is $1,525 a month. 81.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phelan | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $386,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,525 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $79,914 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Phelan
| People | Phelan | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 47.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Phelan
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 21.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.8 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Phelan since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 14, 2004 about 2.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 12, 1998.
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 Phelan itself the ACS puts it at 12.9%.
Public schools in Phelan
10 public schools with 6,590 students, about 22.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serrano High | 9-12 | 2,170 | 22.4 |
| Baldy Mesa Elementary | K-5 | 960 | 24.0 |
| Quail Valley Middle | 6-8 | 866 | 20.6 |
| Pinon Mesa Middle | 6-8 | 812 | 21.9 |
| Phelan Elementary | K-5 | 695 | 23.2 |
| Heritage | K-8 | 552 | 24.0 |
| Mojave River Academy - Marble City (charter) | K-12 | 222 | 27.8 |
| Chaparral High | 9-12 | 152 | 13.8 |
| Snowline Academy | K-12 | 137 | 34.3 |
| Eagle Summit Community Day | 6-12 | 24 | 8.0 |
Towns near Phelan
- Piñon Hills, CA5.6 mi · 7,258 people · home $440,600
- Oak Hills, CA7.7 mi · 9,450 people · home $527,500
- Wrightwood, CA8.7 mi · 4,720 people · home $470,700
- Mountain View Acres, CA10.9 mi · 3,337 people · home $366,900
- Adelanto, CA10.9 mi · 38,046 people · home $349,100
- Victorville, CA11.5 mi · 134,810 people · home $385,600
- Hesperia, CA12.3 mi · 99,818 people · home $409,000
- Spring Valley Lake, CA15.2 mi · 9,598 people · home $463,000
Phelan questions
Is Phelan, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phelan scores better for retirees than 14% of California towns and quieter than 54%. 11.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.4).
How much does a house cost in Phelan?
The median owner-occupied home in Phelan is valued at $386,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,914, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $1,525 a month.
What is the weather like in Phelan?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.1 inches of precipitation a year and 61.8 inches of snow.
Does Phelan get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Phelan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 14, 2004. 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)