The Town FilesRidgecrest, California
City in Kern County · population 27,959 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $253,900
- Household income
- $89,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 105°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 33.4
Ridgecrest is a city of 27,959 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $253,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of California towns.
How Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest is worth $253,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $89,250, which is more affordable than 98% of California towns. Median rent is $1,186 a month. 58.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ridgecrest | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $253,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,186 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $89,250 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.8% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Ridgecrest
| People | Ridgecrest | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 15.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Ridgecrest
July highs average 104.6°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 141 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgecrest since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on April 16, 2019 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 16, 2019.
Severe weather in Kern County since 1996
Kern County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2024 | Fire | FM-5522: Borel Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| 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 |
| August 25, 2021 | Fire | FM-5416: French Fire |
Jobs and pay in Kern County
Kern County had 347,664 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,066 a year. Unemployment was 8.3% in 2023; in Ridgecrest itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Ridgecrest
11 public schools with 5,193 students, about 21.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burroughs High | 9-12 | 1,518 | 20.5 |
| Murray Middle | 6-8 | 686 | 22.9 |
| Las Flores Elementary | K-5 | 550 | 26.2 |
| James Monroe Middle | 6-8 | 542 | 20.8 |
| Faller Elementary | K-5 | 504 | 24.0 |
| Richmond Elementary | K-5 | 377 | 17.1 |
| Gateway Elementary | K-5 | 371 | 24.7 |
| Pierce Elementary | K-5 | 318 | 19.9 |
| Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci (charter) | K-6 | 224 | 24.9 |
| Mesquite Continuation High | 9-12 | 103 | 20.6 |
| Sierra Vista Education Center | Other | — | — |
Towns near Ridgecrest
- China Lake Acres, CA5.8 mi · 1,757 people · home $160,300
- Inyokern, CA8.9 mi · 988 people · home $292,900
- Searles Valley, CA17.9 mi · 1,565 people · home $80,800
Ridgecrest questions
Is Ridgecrest, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ridgecrest scores better for retirees than 46% of California towns and quieter than 42%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.4).
How much does a house cost in Ridgecrest?
The median owner-occupied home in Ridgecrest is valued at $253,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,250, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,186 a month.
What is the weather like in Ridgecrest?
July highs average 104.6°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 4.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Ridgecrest get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgecrest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on April 16, 2019. 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)