Yucca Valley, CA

Census place 0687056 · pop 21,770

F30/ 100
💀 Bad
D−
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.79% · top 36%
🚽 Air87 AQI · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.79% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Air quality (AQI)County-level87 AQI1

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

87 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level144 days1

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

144 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.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1003

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 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.

Violent crime rate606/100k12

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

606 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.8%15

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time28 min24

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

28 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Poor mental health18.7%26

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Median household income$59,56327

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$59,563 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Bachelor's degree or higher22.1%29

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

22.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult smoking15.4%30

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

15.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poverty rate15.7%32

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

15.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+0.7%34

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+0.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Housing cost$363,40036

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$363,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,934/mo38

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,934/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Physical inactivity25.8%46

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

25.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Homeownership63.2%48

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

63.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access91.4%48

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Uninsured adults9.2%53

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

9.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult obesity34.0%55

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Income inequality0.4358

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property crime rate989/100k63

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

989 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Property-tax burden0.79%64

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.79% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Yucca Valley, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Yucca Valley scores 30/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is air quality (aqi). 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 Yucca Valley, CA?
Yucca Valley reports 606 violent crimes per 100k and 989 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Yucca Valley, CA expensive to live in?
Yucca Valley has a median home value of $363,400 and typical rent around $1,934/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Yucca Valley, CA?
Its weakest measured area is air quality (aqi) (87 AQI) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
What is Yucca Valley, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.79%) — 64/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.