Ridgecrest

Population: 28,138
Median household income: $88,107
Median home value: $235,800

Ridgecrest, a community in Kern County, California, has 28,138 residents. The median household income of $88,107 is above the Kern County median ($67,660).

From 2019 to 2023, Ridgecrest's population declined 2.1% from 28,755 to 28,138, while its median home value rose 30.8% from $180,300 to $235,800.

The typical home was built around 1981. 11.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 28,138
Median age: 34.8 yrs
Median household income: $88,107
Median home value: $235,800
Median gross rent: $1,178
Housing units: 11,920
Homeownership rate: 59.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 31.7%
Unemployment rate: 8.6%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

28,75528,138

Median household income

$69,577$88,107

Median home value

$180,300$235,800

Median gross rent

$879$1,178

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	28,755	$69,577	$180,300	$879
2020	28,905	$71,774	$184,600	$928
2021	27,989	$77,534	$193,700	$983
2022	28,118	$85,872	$224,600	$1,133
2023	28,138	$88,107	$235,800	$1,178

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.0%

5 to 1719.3%

18 to 248.2%

25 to 3415.6%

35 to 4414.6%

45 to 5411.0%

55 to 6410.9%

65 to 747.7%

75 and over5.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,979	7.0%
5 to 17	5,440	19.3%
18 to 24	2,317	8.2%
25 to 34	4,395	15.6%
35 to 44	4,097	14.6%
45 to 54	3,098	11.0%
55 to 64	3,063	10.9%
65 to 74	2,174	7.7%
75 and over	1,575	5.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	18,081	64.3%
Black or African American	1,239	4.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native	91	0.3%
Asian	1,008	3.6%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	81	0.3%
Some other race	126	0.4%
Two or more races	1,578	5.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,934	21.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma8.2%

High school graduate19.0%

Some college or associate's41.1%

Bachelor's degree21.8%

Graduate or professional degree9.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,512	8.2%
High school graduate	3,495	19.0%
Some college or associate's	7,568	41.1%
Bachelor's degree	4,004	21.8%
Graduate or professional degree	1,823	9.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 16 min

Drove alone75.5%

Carpooled11.6%

Public transit0.1%

Walked1.7%

Bicycle1.2%

Worked from home9.6%

Other means0.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	9,237	75.5%
Carpooled	1,420	11.6%
Public transit	18	0.1%
Walked	214	1.7%
Bicycle	144	1.2%
Worked from home	1,172	9.6%
Other means	29	0.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	6,464	58.4%
15 to 29 min	3,193	28.9%
30 to 44 min	809	7.3%
45 to 59 min	275	2.5%
60+ min	321	2.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.55
Poverty rate: 11.7% (3,243 of 27,835)

	Count	Share
Family households	6,716	61.3%
Nonfamily households	4,232	38.7%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1981

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	10,948	91.8%
Vacant	972	8.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	6,531	59.7%
Renter-occupied	4,417	40.3%

1-unit, detached67.5%

1-unit, attached4.4%

2 to 4 units13.3%

5 to 19 units3.5%

20 or more units2.0%

Mobile home & other9.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	8,048	67.5%
1-unit, attached	524	4.4%
2 to 4 units	1,585	13.3%
5 to 19 units	412	3.5%
20 or more units	236	2.0%
Mobile home & other	1,115	9.4%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0660704
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 21 sq mi
Water area: 0.65 sq mi
Center point: 35.6285, -117.6640