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Living in
Yucca Valley.
About
Life in Yucca Valley
Life in this high desert town revolves around affordability, outdoor access, and a quieter pace that attracts retirees, families, and remote workers—though you'll need to accept serious heat and isolation in exchange. Housing is genuinely reasonable for Southern California, with median home values around $363,400 and rental rates near $1,428 a month, making it one of the more attainable places in the region; the trade-off is that you're working with a median household income of $59,563 and limited local employment opportunities outside of the Marine Corps presence at Twentynine Palms Base and service sector jobs, so many residents commute or work remotely. The climate is cold desert, which sounds mild until summer hits—you're at 3,300 feet elevation in the Mojave, so expect brutal heat and annual snowfall when temperatures drop, plus the area is geologically active with fault lines crisscrossing through town and a history of destructive wildfires that spike during fire season.
Yucca Valley at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Foreign-Born
7.5%
Broadband Internet
91.4%
of households
Population Growth
+0.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Yucca Valley: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Yucca Valley, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (39.4%), and 11.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.9%
of residents
65 and Older
20.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.1%
of households
Married Couples
34.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
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 30% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Yucca Valley
In Yucca Valley, rent runs 30% below the CA average, and home values are 51% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
62.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,882
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $353,973 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Yucca Valley and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in San Bernardino County, which includes Yucca Valley, is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Yucca Valley: San Bernardino County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
San Bernardino County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Yucca Valley is less than 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Yucca Valley 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
Commute28.3 min avg
How Yucca Valley residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Yucca Valley, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 68 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 106 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 62% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Yucca Valley runs 62% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
534.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,096.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Yucca Valley 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 Yucca Valley, 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
Yucca Valley 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 Yucca Valley, 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
Yucca Valley is less than 1% of San Bernardino County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate94°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Yucca Valley has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
6.3"
Annual Snowfall
1.7"
Hot Days/Year
109
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
31
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
26
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 38°F | 1.41" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 1.22" |
| Mar | 67°F | 40°F | 0.78" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 0.25" |
| May | 82°F | 52°F | 0.06" |
| Jun | 91°F | 59°F | 0.00" |
| Jul | 96°F | 66°F | 0.46" |
| Aug | 96°F | 68°F | 0.17" |
| Sep | 89°F | 60°F | 0.15" |
| Oct | 80°F | 50°F | 0.61" |
| Nov | 66°F | 41°F | 0.27" |
| Dec | 58°F | 34°F | 0.87" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Yucca Valley
Uninsured
6.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Yucca Valley's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Hi-desert Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 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.
Education21.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley's student/teacher ratio is 21.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 22.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Joshua Tree National Park, 36 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Joshua Tree National Park (36 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Joshua Tree National Park
National Park
36 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
49 mi awayMojave National Preserve
National Preserve
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley Branch Library
57098 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley
Cities Near Yucca Valley
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Yucca Valley?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Yucca Valley FAQ
Is Yucca Valley, California affordable?⌄
Yucca Valley's median rent is $1,428/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $59,563/year. Median home value is $363,400.
Is Yucca Valley, California safe?⌄
Yucca Valley's violent crime rate was 535 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1097 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Yucca Valley, California?⌄
San Bernardino County, which includes Yucca Valley, has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Yucca Valley, California?⌄
The cost of living in Yucca Valley is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,428/month and median household income is $59,563/year. The median home value is $363,400. About 62% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Yucca Valley, California?⌄
The average commute in Yucca Valley 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