CITY
Ridgecrest
California · 28,333 residents (2025 est.) · 20.9 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
Part of the Bakersfield metro area
The short version
Ridgecrest is a city of 28,225 people in California. The median age is 33.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $253,900. Density works out to 1,353 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 8%.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 103%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
28,225
+13%since 2000
from 24,927 in 2000
28,333 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
20.9 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202428K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.4%(2,087)
5 to 97.3%(2,071)
10 to 148.1%(2,275)
15 to 196.8%(1,909)
20 to 245.1%(1,439)
25 to 3417.4%(4,900)
35 to 4413.9%(3,930)
45 to 5411.4%(3,204)
55 to 6410.3%(2,916)
65 to 747%(1,966)
75 to 844.7%(1,319)
85 and over0.7%(209)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$89,250
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,971 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
56.1%
+20.4 ptssince 2009
from 35.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information7.5%
Finance & insurance5.3%
Retail trade4.2%
Wholesale trade4%
Other services3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
Education & health services2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.4%
Public administration1.8%
Construction1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
Transportation & warehousing0.9%
Manufacturing0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$253,900
+103%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $68,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.8
−13%since 2009
from 3.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
45
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic76.5%(19,067)
Black3.4%(846)
Hispanic / Latino12%(3,001)
Asian3.8%(948)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic60.9%(17,180)
Black3.8%(1,086)
Hispanic / Latino23.6%(6,674)
Asian4.2%(1,186)
Other7.4%(2,099)
71
+11%since 2009
from 64 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican18.4%(5,195)
Central American1.3%(358)
Salvadoran0.8%(228)
Puerto Rican0.8%(218)
South American0.7%(189)
Ecuadorian0.5%(135)
Nicaraguan0.3%(98)
Dominican0.1%(32)
Guatemalan0.1%(32)
Colombian0.1%(27)
Spaniard0.1%(21)
Bolivian0.1%(16)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Peruvian0%(11)
Asian origin
Filipino1.7%(481)
Asian Indian0.6%(172)
Thai0.4%(108)
Japanese0.4%(105)
Cambodian0.4%(99)
Chinese0.3%(84)
Vietnamese0.3%(72)
Pakistani0.2%(54)
Korean0%(13)
Laotian0%(6)
Ancestry
Irish13.8%(3,896)
German13.7%(3,854)
English11.6%(3,267)
Italian3.7%(1,033)
Scottish3.4%(946)
American2.8%(787)
French2.4%(690)
Polish1.9%(545)
Swedish1.7%(476)
Dutch1.4%(388)
Norwegian1.3%(364)
Portuguese1.1%(324)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh1.1%(305)
Danish0.9%(266)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(228)
Canadian0.6%(182)
French Canadian0.6%(177)
Armenian0.6%(167)
Czech0.6%(160)
Swiss0.3%(89)
Arab0.3%(79)
Latvian0.3%(71)
Greek0.2%(65)
Russian0.2%(63)
Syrian0.2%(50)
Subsaharan African0.2%(49)
Austrian0.2%(48)
West Indian0.2%(44)
Jamaican0.2%(44)
Lebanese0.2%(43)
Ukrainian0.1%(41)
Belgian0.1%(30)
Brazilian0.1%(28)
Iranian0.1%(27)
British0.1%(25)
Hungarian0.1%(23)
Bulgarian0.1%(18)
Croatian0.1%(17)
Ethiopian0.1%(16)
Australian0%(9)
Finnish0%(9)
Guyanese0%(9)
Egyptian0%(6)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
92.1%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 87.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.8%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.6%
+6.0 ptssince 2020
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married37.9%(4,438)
Married48.7%(5,698)
Widowed2.7%(313)
Divorced10.7%(1,248)
Women 15+
Never married26.6%(2,688)
Married54.7%(5,520)
Widowed7.7%(782)
Divorced10.9%(1,105)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
10.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 9.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
4.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.3% 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)45.5%(1,361)
Gulf War (1990s)32.7%(978)
Vietnam era23.7%(709)
Korean War1.8%(55)
World War II0%(0)
Share of the 2,994 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Ridgecrest
Citrus Park
Pop 28,804
Port St. John
Pop 25,120
Key West
Pop 24,999
West Melbourne
Pop 31,285
Places similar to RidgecrestHead to head
Compare Ridgecrest to nearby cities
RIDGECREST VS
California City
Income$60,113−33%
Home value$278,000+9%
Population13,300−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RIDGECREST VS
Tehachapi
Income$72,957−18%
Home value$355,500+40%
Population11,852−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RIDGECREST VS
Golden Hills
Income$95,669+7%
Home value$410,300+62%
Population9,891−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RIDGECREST VS
Fort Irwin
Income$76,107−15%
Home value$194,700−23%
Population8,419−70%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ridgecrest, California?
Ridgecrest, California has about 28,225 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ridgecrest, California?
The typical household in Ridgecrest, California earns about $89,250 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ridgecrest, California expensive?
In Ridgecrest, California, the median home is worth about $253,900, and the typical rent is about $1,186 a month.
How educated are people in Ridgecrest, California?
About 30.9% of adults age 25 and over in Ridgecrest, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ridgecrest, California?
About 12.5% of people in Ridgecrest, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ridgecrest, California grown since 1990?
Yes, Ridgecrest, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 500 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
Up the hierarchy
CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024