City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Joshua Tree, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Joshua Tree - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,767
Residents
$64,036
Median income
$280,600
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Joshua Tree - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Joshua Tree lands in the 41st percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

41st
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Joshua Tree, CA

Joshua Tree is a small town in California, home to 6,767 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Joshua Tree brings in $64,036 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.6%. Home values in Joshua Tree run a median of $280,600, and the median resident age is 40.8 years. 25.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

NOAA puts Joshua Tree's yearly average temperature at 65.5°F with 4.4 inches of precipitation per year and 0.8 inches of snowfall.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,201 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

6,767 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$64,036 /yr

Poverty 14.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Joshua Tree compare to other US cities?

Joshua Tree measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Joshua Tree against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Joshua Tree toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Joshua Tree ranks #1,097 - the 18th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Joshua Tree only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,000 of 1,338
25th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#734 of 1,458
47th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,097 of 1,343
18th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#302 of 1,450
79th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#747 of 1,458
49th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

41stIncome percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Joshua Tree's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$280,600 38th percentile more affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Joshua Tree $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Joshua Tree, CA Joshua Tree, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Joshua Tree, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Joshua Tree, CA median $64,036/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Joshua Tree, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Joshua Tree, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
6,767
Median Income
$64,036
Median Home Value
$280,600
Median Age
40.8
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Labor force participation
52.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.0%

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.5°F
Annual Precipitation
4.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.8"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.2%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
26.0%
Other
1.7%

Based on 2,867 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Joshua Tree sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,201/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Lake Mathews
6,749 people
Paradise
6,793 people
Vandenberg
6,793 people
Nuevo
6,737 people
Loomis
6,809 people
Ben Lomond
6,849 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Joshua Tree's 6,767 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tehaleh, WA
6,769 people
South Monroe, MI
6,771 people
Lawrence, NY
6,771 people
Belle Mead, NJ
6,772 people
Atlantic, IA
6,773 people
Bonne Terre, MO
6,773 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Joshua Tree's $64,036 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

The Homesteads, TX
$64,037 median income
Jamestown West, NY
$64,034 median income
Lake Katrine, NY
$64,038 median income
Canton, NC
$64,034 median income
Spencer, NC
$64,031 median income
Danbury, IA
$64,028 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Joshua Tree, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Joshua Tree, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.0% 15.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22.3% White 74.0% Black or African American 2.1% Asian 1.8% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 4.7% Two or more races 15.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Joshua Tree compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Joshua Tree (this city) 6,767 $64,036
Lake Mathews 6,749 $102,700
Paradise 6,793 $67,042
Vandenberg 6,793 $104,714
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Joshua Tree, CA?

What is the population of Joshua Tree, CA? +

The population of Joshua Tree, CA stands at 6,767 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Joshua Tree, CA? +

Median annual household income in Joshua Tree runs $64,036, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Joshua Tree? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Joshua Tree; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Joshua Tree, CA? +

Homes in Joshua Tree carry a median value of $280,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Joshua Tree? +

Joshua Tree has an average annual temperature of 65.5°F, 4.4 inches of precipitation, and 0.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.