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Living in
Barstow.
About
Life in Barstow
Moving to Barstow means embracing life in the high desert with genuine trade-offs. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees—the area averages 68 days annually hitting that mark—while winters bring cold mornings in the 30s, creating huge daily temperature swings. Rain is scarce (under 5 inches yearly), so outdoor recreation here is more about hiking Rainbow Basin's colorful rock formations or exploring nearby ghost towns than lush greenery.
Barstow at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.1%
Foreign-Born
10.7%
Broadband Internet
81.0%
of households
Population Growth
-2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Barstow: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Barstow, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.7%), and 20.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.5%
of residents
65 and Older
12.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.6%
of households
Married Couples
33.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.71
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 46% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Barstow
In Barstow, rent runs 46% below the CA average, and home values are 67% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,673
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $264,787 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.5 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Barstow and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Barstow is 1.5 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Barstow Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area
Commute28.2 min avg
How Barstow residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Barstow, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 mi
San Bernardino International Airport (SBD)
Regional airport · few flights26k passengers boarded in 2025
- 67 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 102 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 305% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Barstow runs 305% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,332.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,939.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Barstow Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 61 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
San Bernardino County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In San Bernardino County, which includes Barstow, the most common type is high wind, with 61 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | Flash Flood | $4.8M |
| 2024 | 86 | High Wind | $16.4M |
| 2023 | 106 | High Wind | $4.0M |
| 2022 | 123 | High Wind | $12.1M |
| 2021 | 113 | Excessive Heat | $293,000 |
| 2020 | 78 | Excessive Heat | $298,000 |
| 2019 | 99 | Excessive Heat | $6.3M |
| 2018 | 66 | Flash Flood | $1.3M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
183 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Bernardino County, county-wide
Barstow is about 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality77 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in San Bernardino County, which includes Barstow, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
77
Good Days
46
per year
Moderate Days
209
per year
Unhealthy Days
43
per year
San Bernardino County, county-wide
Barstow is about 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate100°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Barstow has hot summers (avg high 100°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
100°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
5.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.3"
Hot Days/Year
133
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
32
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
22
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 35°F | 0.76" |
| Feb | 63°F | 39°F | 0.98" |
| Mar | 70°F | 44°F | 0.59" |
| Apr | 77°F | 49°F | 0.30" |
| May | 86°F | 57°F | 0.06" |
| Jun | 96°F | 65°F | 0.04" |
| Jul | 102°F | 72°F | 0.26" |
| Aug | 101°F | 70°F | 0.17" |
| Sep | 93°F | 63°F | 0.25" |
| Oct | 81°F | 53°F | 0.35" |
| Nov | 68°F | 42°F | 0.40" |
| Dec | 57°F | 35°F | 0.80" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Barstow
Barstow has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Barstow Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education25.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Barstow
Barstow's student/teacher ratio is 25.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 13.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
25.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Barstow
Barstow has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
69 mi awayMojave National Preserve
National Preserve
88 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Barstow
Barstow Branch Library
304 E. Buena Vista, Barstow
Cities Near Barstow
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Barstow?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Barstow FAQ
Is Barstow, California affordable?⌄
Barstow's median rent is $1,091/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $53,380/year. Median home value is $245,000.
Is Barstow, California safe?⌄
Barstow's violent crime rate was 1332 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2939 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Barstow, California?⌄
Barstow has an unemployment rate of 7.0%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Barstow, California?⌄
The cost of living in Barstow is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,091/month and median household income is $53,380/year. The median home value is $245,000. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Barstow, California?⌄
The average commute in Barstow is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from