Barstow is a city of 25,100 people in California. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 44% of homes are owner-occupied. The median age is 32.7, younger than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 46% less than in California as a whole. 23.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $53,380, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 95%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Barstow
What changed most since 1990
White share54.5% → 22.2%(−32.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree10.2% → 13.2%(+3.1 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Homes owned by their occupants52.6% → 43.7%(−8.9 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)26%(420)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.4%(378)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.5%(493)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(41)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.2%(4)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,618 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Barstow, decade by decade
Barstow population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
21,454
$67,896
$172,325
10.2%
74.9
2000
21,119
$63,884
$125,694
9.1%
82.7
2010
22,639
$64,974
$222,115
9.4%
84.2
2020
25,415
$52,011
$157,686
10.5%
85.3
2024
25,100
$53,380
$245,000
13.2%
84.1
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
