City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Twentynine Palms, CA

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

28,738
Residents
$56,000
Median income
$238,400
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Twentynine Palms - the verdict

Nationally, Twentynine Palms sits in the 29th percentile for household income and the 56th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
56th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Twentynine Palms, CA

28,738 people live in Twentynine Palms, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $56,000 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Home values in Twentynine Palms run a median of $238,400, and the median resident age is 24.6 years. About 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 35.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 26 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 420% from five years earlier. Twentynine Palms reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1194.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 70.3°F with 3.9 inches of precipitation per year.

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

Population

28,738 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$56,000 /yr

Poverty 11.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Twentynine Palms compare to other US cities?

Here's how Twentynine Palms stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 56% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Twentynine Palms ranks #98 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Twentynine Palms 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 Twentynine Palms toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Twentynine Palms ranks #1,183 - the 12th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Twentynine Palms only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,105 of 1,338
17th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#734 of 1,458
47th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,183 of 1,343
12th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#411 of 1,450
71st percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#759 of 1,458
48th 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.

29thIncome percentile
56thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 56th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Twentynine Palms's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Twentynine Palms's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
Twentynine Palms's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Twentynine Palms's home value compares nationally

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

$238,400 47th percentile more affordable than 47% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Twentynine Palms $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 - Twentynine Palms, CA Twentynine Palms, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Twentynine Palms, 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 Twentynine Palms, CA median $56,000/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%
Twentynine Palms, 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 Twentynine Palms, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 35.0%

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

Population
28,738
Median Income
$56,000
Median Home Value
$238,400
Median Age
24.6
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
35.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1194.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
417.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
776.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
70.3°F
Annual Precipitation
3.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
25,000 residents26,000 residents27,000 residents28,000 residents29,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 28,075 residents 25,939 residents ▼ -7.6%
Twentynine Palms's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
26
housing units authorized
Single-Family
26
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 5
2021 4
2022 38
2023 29
2024 26

Permit volume increased 420% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.0%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
14.2%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
1.3%

Based on 15,124 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 Twentynine Palms 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

East Niles
28,586 people
Temescal Valley
28,560 people
East Palo Alto
29,143 people
Suisun City
29,205 people
Ridgecrest
28,138 people
Eastern Goleta Valley
29,411 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Twentynine Palms's 28,738 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Port Huron, MI
28,724 people
Converse, TX
28,764 people
Golden Gate, FL
28,767 people
Daphne, AL
28,673 people
Bridgewater, MA
28,669 people
Slidell, LA
28,664 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Twentynine Palms's $56,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Caddo Valley, AR
$56,000 median income
Beacon, IA
$56,000 median income
Menahga, MN
$56,000 median income
Ludlow, MO
$56,000 median income
Breckenridge, OK
$56,000 median income
Grandfalls, TX
$56,000 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Twentynine Palms, 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 Twentynine Palms, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.8% 9.9% 23.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 25.8% White 56.8% Black or African American 9.9% Asian 4.0% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 1.4% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 23.4% 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 Twentynine Palms 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
Twentynine Palms (this city) 28,738 $56,000
East Niles 28,586 $51,250
Temescal Valley 28,560 $119,647
East Palo Alto 29,143 $104,832
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Twentynine Palms, CA?

What is the population of Twentynine Palms, CA? +

28,738 people live in Twentynine Palms, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Twentynine Palms, CA? +

The median household income in Twentynine Palms is $56,000 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Twentynine Palms? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Twentynine Palms; 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.

Is Twentynine Palms, CA safe? +

Twentynine Palms has a total crime rate of 1194.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Twentynine Palms, CA? +

Homes in Twentynine Palms carry a median value of $238,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Twentynine Palms? +

The average annual temperature in Twentynine Palms runs 70.3°F, 3.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.