Needles

Population: 4,882
Median household income: $39,876
Median home value: $134,400

Needles, a community in San Bernardino County, California, has 4,882 residents. At $39,876, its median household income sits below San Bernardino County's $82,184.

From 2019 to 2023, Needles's population declined 1.7% from 4,965 to 4,882, while its median home value rose 51.9% from $88,500 to $134,400.

The typical home was built around 1977. 29.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 4,882
Median age: 49.6 yrs
Median household income: $39,876
Median home value: $134,400
Median gross rent: $742
Housing units: 2,848
Homeownership rate: 54.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 9.2%
Unemployment rate: 12.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

4,9654,882

Median household income

$33,717$39,876

Median home value

$88,500$134,400

Median gross rent

$649$742

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	4,965	$33,717	$88,500	$649
2020	4,959	$33,265	$108,800	$623
2021	4,921	$32,839	$121,500	$648
2022	4,895	$38,368	$132,500	$696
2023	4,882	$39,876	$134,400	$742

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

Age distribution

Under 52.9%

5 to 1715.8%

18 to 246.1%

25 to 345.4%

35 to 4414.1%

45 to 549.0%

55 to 6423.6%

65 to 7414.0%

75 and over9.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	141	2.9%
5 to 17	772	15.8%
18 to 24	297	6.1%
25 to 34	266	5.4%
35 to 44	689	14.1%
45 to 54	441	9.0%
55 to 64	1,151	23.6%
65 to 74	683	14.0%
75 and over	442	9.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	2,662	54.5%
Black or African American	159	3.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	329	6.7%
Asian	39	0.8%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	3	0.1%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	212	4.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,478	30.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma21.7%

High school graduate31.7%

Some college or associate's37.5%

Bachelor's degree7.1%

Graduate or professional degree2.0%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	796	21.7%
High school graduate	1,163	31.7%
Some college or associate's	1,376	37.5%
Bachelor's degree	262	7.1%
Graduate or professional degree	75	2.0%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 19 min

Drove alone83.3%

Carpooled9.3%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.1%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.0%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	1,193	83.3%
Carpooled	133	9.3%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	30	2.1%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	71	5.0%
Other means	5	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	810	59.5%
15 to 29 min	201	14.8%
30 to 44 min	235	17.3%
45 to 59 min	49	3.6%
60+ min	66	4.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.29
Poverty rate: 29.1% (1,420 of 4,882)

	Count	Share
Family households	1,378	64.7%
Nonfamily households	753	35.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1977

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	2,131	74.8%
Vacant	717	25.2%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	1,167	54.8%
Renter-occupied	964	45.2%

1-unit, detached62.1%

1-unit, attached5.1%

2 to 4 units5.5%

5 to 19 units2.2%

20 or more units9.8%

Mobile home & other15.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	1,768	62.1%
1-unit, attached	144	5.1%
2 to 4 units	157	5.5%
5 to 19 units	62	2.2%
20 or more units	278	9.8%
Mobile home & other	439	15.4%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0650734
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 31 sq mi
Water area: 0.5 sq mi
Center point: 34.8134, -114.6266