CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Joshua Tree

California · 3,898 residents · 36.1 sq mi

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The short version

Joshua Tree is a city of 3,898 people in California. That trails the California median by roughly 51%. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median household earns $17,425, about 42% below the national median. Median home value sits at $64,000. The poverty rate is 18.2%, above the 13.2% national rate.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.0

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Less affordable

home values up 35%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

3,898

−7%vs 2000

vs 4,207 in 2000

1990 – 2024

Median age

35.0

−5%vs 2000

vs 36.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

36.1 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20246K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 58.4%(327)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 99.1%(355)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 145.2%(203)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 194.6%(178)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 247.8%(305)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.9%(581)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414%(547)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 543.1%(120)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.4%(326)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7413.9%(542)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 848.7%(338)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.9%(76)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$17,425

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $26,535 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,736

−30%vs 2000

vs $13,856 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

18.2%

−3.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 21.2% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$64,000

+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $62,600 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$429

+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $467 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

66.3%

+5.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 60.7% in 2000

33.7% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic80.1%(3,368)

Black1.7%(70)

Hispanic / Latino12.4%(520)

Asian1.1%(46)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic92.7%(3,613)

Black1.3%(52)

Hispanic / Latino9%(351)

Asian0.7%(27)

Other5.3%(206)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican18.6%(1,159)

Central American1.7%(103)

Spaniard1.5%(95)

Guatemalan1.3%(81)

South American0.6%(39)

Cuban0.4%(25)

Argentine0.3%(19)

Peruvian0.3%(17)

Costa Rican0.2%(14)

Honduran0.1%(8)

Colombian0%(3)

Asian origin

Chinese1%(61)

Filipino1%(60)

Japanese0.3%(21)

Thai0.3%(16)

Korean0.2%(15)

Hmong0%(2)

Pacific Islander origin

Fijian1.9%(118)

Native Hawaiian0.5%(33)

Ancestry

Irish13.6%(847)

English8.5%(531)

German8%(501)

Italian5.5%(342)

French2.8%(172)

American2.2%(138)

Norwegian2.1%(133)

Russian2.1%(133)

Dutch1.8%(111)

Scottish1.5%(95)

Polish1.3%(83)

Hungarian1.1%(71)

+ 16 more ancestry groups with data

Swedish1%(63)

Australian0.7%(46)

Welsh0.6%(38)

Lithuanian0.4%(27)

Arab0.4%(22)

Lebanese0.4%(22)

Syrian0.2%(12)

Canadian0.2%(11)

Austrian0.2%(10)

Scotch-Irish0.2%(10)

British0.1%(9)

French Canadian0.1%(9)

Finnish0.1%(8)

Czech0.1%(7)

Iranian0.1%(5)

Subsaharan African0.1%(5)

RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.7%

−3.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

70.2%

−5.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 75.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.3%

−2.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 5.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

25.6 min

+22%vs 2000

vs 21.1 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married45.7%(1,170)

Married40.5%(1,038)

Widowed2.4%(62)

Divorced11.3%(290)

Women 15+

Never married37.8%(1,070)

Married34.5%(977)

Widowed6.1%(173)

Divorced21.6%(610)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

8.5%

−9.0 ptssince 2013

from 17.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

34.5%

+6.1 ptssince 2020

from 28.4% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

10.0%

+0.9 ptssince 2020

from 9.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

21.2%

−0.4 ptssince 2020

from 21.6% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

36.5%

−10.3 ptssince 2020

from 46.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.8%

−2.4 ptssince 2020

from 5.2% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

44.7%

+5.3 ptssince 2020

from 39.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

52.8%

−11.1 ptssince 2020

from 63.9% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

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)21.1%(68)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)36.6%(118)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era37.6%(121)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War12.1%(39)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 322 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

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