© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Phelan.
Phelan is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, CA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Phelan
Living in Phelan means embracing a genuinely rural, high-desert lifestyle about 30 miles east of Palmdale and 18 miles west of Victorville in San Bernardino County. This is a real community of nearly 14,000 people spread across 60 square miles of mostly flat Mojave Desert landscape dotted with joshua trees and brush—it's not a quaint weekend escape, it's home for families, retirees, and working people who've chosen wide-open spaces over suburban density. The median household income sits at $79,914 with a median home value around $386,800, which gives you genuinely affordable homeownership compared to most of Southern California; about 78% of residents own their homes, and the community skews toward stable, married-couple households with kids.
Phelan at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Foreign-Born
13.7%
Broadband Internet
86.9%
of households
Population Growth
+13.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Phelan: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Phelan, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (65.7%), and 25.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
40.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
13.5%
of households
Married Couples
55.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.53
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 25% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Phelan
In Phelan, rent runs 25% below the CA average, and home values are 47% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
68.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
44.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,442
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
81.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $464,988 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Phelan and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Bernardino County, which includes Phelan, is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Phelan: San Bernardino County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Bernardino County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Phelan is less than 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Phelan 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
Commute47.4 min avg
How Phelan residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Phelan, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 27% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 58 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 35% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, which covers Phelan, runs 35% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
444.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,113.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 Phelan, 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.
211 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Bernardino County, county-wide
Phelan is less than 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 Phelan, 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
Phelan is less than 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Phelan has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/49°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
48°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.1"
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 26°F | 4.37" |
| Feb | 48°F | 25°F | 4.93" |
| Mar | 54°F | 29°F | 1.85" |
| Apr | 60°F | 32°F | 0.80" |
| May | 69°F | 39°F | 0.79" |
| Jun | 78°F | 44°F | 0.08" |
| Jul | 83°F | 53°F | 1.06" |
| Aug | 82°F | 51°F | 0.31" |
| Sep | 75°F | 46°F | 0.38" |
| Oct | 64°F | 37°F | 1.21" |
| Nov | 55°F | 29°F | 1.14" |
| Dec | 48°F | 25°F | 4.14" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Phelan
Uninsured
10.7%
of residents
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Education22.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Phelan
Phelan's student/teacher ratio is 22.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.3:1
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, 43 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Phelan
Phelan has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (43 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
43 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
72 mi awayCésar E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Phelan
Phelan Memorial Library
9800 Clovis Road, Phelan
Cities Near Phelan
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Phelan?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Phelan FAQ
Is Phelan, California affordable?⌄
Phelan's median rent is $1,525/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $79,914/year. Median home value is $386,800.
Is Phelan, California safe?⌄
Phelan is policed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 444 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1113 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Phelan, California?⌄
San Bernardino County, which includes Phelan, has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Phelan, California?⌄
The cost of living in Phelan is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,525/month and median household income is $79,914/year. The median home value is $386,800. About 69% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Phelan, California?⌄
The average commute in Phelan is 47 minutes, which is significantly longer than 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