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Living in
Twentynine Palms.
About
Life in Twentynine Palms
If you're considering Twentynine Palms, understand that you're moving to a desert town whose economy and character are substantially shaped by the nearby Marine Corps base and Joshua Tree National Park tourism. The population skews young and male-heavy, and about two-thirds of residents rent rather than own, which gives the place a transient feel. Housing costs are moderate by Southern California standards—median homes around $268,200 and rent averaging $1,352—but the job market outside the base and tourism sector is limited, with a median household income of $63,000.
Twentynine Palms at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.5%
Foreign-Born
8.7%
Broadband Internet
96.8%
of households
Population Growth
-7.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Twentynine Palms: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Twentynine Palms, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (35.6%), and 15.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.1%
of residents
65 and Older
7.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.6%
of households
Married Couples
49.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
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 34% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Twentynine Palms
In Twentynine Palms, rent runs 34% below the CA average, and home values are 63% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,824
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
38.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $245,396 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Twentynine Palms and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Twentynine Palms is 1.4 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 Twentynine Palms 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
Commute15.9 min avg
How Twentynine Palms residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Twentynine Palms, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 89 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 116 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M 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 25% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Twentynine Palms runs 25% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
412
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
820.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Twentynine Palms 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 Twentynine Palms, 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.
191 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
San Bernardino County, county-wide
Twentynine Palms 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 Twentynine Palms, 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
Twentynine Palms is about 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate102°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Twentynine Palms has hot summers (avg high 102°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
82°/56°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
102°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
4.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.8"
Hot Days/Year
154
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
17
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
21
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 42°F | 0.50" |
| Feb | 67°F | 44°F | 0.56" |
| Mar | 74°F | 49°F | 0.35" |
| Apr | 81°F | 55°F | 0.12" |
| May | 90°F | 63°F | 0.05" |
| Jun | 99°F | 71°F | 0.00" |
| Jul | 104°F | 77°F | 0.40" |
| Aug | 103°F | 76°F | 0.65" |
| Sep | 97°F | 69°F | 0.34" |
| Oct | 85°F | 58°F | 0.15" |
| Nov | 72°F | 47°F | 0.19" |
| Dec | 62°F | 40°F | 0.56" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Twentynine Palms
Twentynine Palms has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.4%
of residents
Nh Twentynine Palms
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Hi-desert Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.1 mi away · Joshua Tree
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.
Education21.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Twentynine Palms
Twentynine Palms's student/teacher ratio is 21.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Joshua Tree National Park, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Twentynine Palms
Twentynine Palms has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Joshua Tree National Park (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Joshua Tree National Park
National Park
21 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
69 mi awayMojave National Preserve
National Preserve
74 mi awayCastle Mountains National Monument
National Monument
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Twentynine Palms
Twentynine Palms Branch Library
6078 Adobe Rd., Twentynine Palms
Cities Near Twentynine Palms
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Twentynine Palms?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Twentynine Palms FAQ
Is Twentynine Palms, California affordable?⌄
Twentynine Palms's median rent is $1,352/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $62,554/year. Median home value is $268,200.
Is Twentynine Palms, California safe?⌄
Twentynine Palms's violent crime rate was 412 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 820 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Twentynine Palms, California?⌄
Twentynine Palms has an unemployment rate of 6.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Twentynine Palms, California?⌄
The cost of living in Twentynine Palms is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,352/month and median household income is $62,554/year. The median home value is $268,200. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Twentynine Palms, California?⌄
The average commute in Twentynine Palms is 16 minutes, which is shorter 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