Ridgecrest, CA
Census place 0660704 · pop 28,225
Surrounded by Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and a gateway to the otherworldly Trona Pinnacles.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
8.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
94 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
72 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
655 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
58.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.96% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
30.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$253,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1042 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$89,250 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,270/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Ridgecrest, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Ridgecrest scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Ridgecrest, CA?
- Ridgecrest reports 655 violent crimes per 100k and 1042 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Ridgecrest, CA expensive to live in?
- Ridgecrest has a median home value of $253,900 and typical rent around $1,270/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Ridgecrest, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (8.3%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Ridgecrest, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 91/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Surrounded by Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and a gateway to the otherworldly Trona Pinnacles.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.