City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Yucca Valley, CA

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

21,744
Residents
$55,302
Median income
$321,300
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Yucca Valley - the verdict

Yucca Valley ranks in the 28th percentile for household income and the 44th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

28th
percentile, household income
68th
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
44th
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: Yucca Valley, CA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 21,744 residents in Yucca Valley, a small city within California. The typical household in Yucca Valley brings in $55,302 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.2%. Typical homes in Yucca Valley are valued around $321,300, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. About 20.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 36 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Growing), up 9% from five years earlier. Yucca Valley reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1567.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.9°F with 6.3 inches of precipitation per year and 1.7 inches of snowfall.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,201 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Yucca Valley workers runs 26.1 minutes, with 78.1% driving alone and 6.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

21,744 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$55,302 /yr

Poverty 13.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Yucca Valley compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 28% higher than other cities
Home value 68% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 44% 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, Yucca Valley ranks #160 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 Yucca Valley 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 Yucca Valley toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Yucca Valley ranks #1,026 - the 24th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Yucca Valley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,118 of 1,338
16th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#734 of 1,458
47th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,026 of 1,343
24th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#354 of 1,450
75th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#874 of 1,458
40th 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.

28thIncome percentile
44thSafety percentile

28th percentile nationally for median household income · 44th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Yucca Valley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Yucca Valley'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Yucca Valley'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 Yucca Valley's home value compares nationally

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

$321,300 32nd percentile more affordable than 32% 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Yucca Valley $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 - Yucca Valley, CA Yucca Valley, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Yucca Valley, 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 Yucca Valley, CA median $55,302/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%
Yucca Valley, 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 Yucca Valley, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.1%

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

Population
21,744
Median Income
$55,302
Median Home Value
$321,300
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
13.2%
Labor force participation
52.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1567.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
605.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
961.6
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
62.9°F
Annual Precipitation
6.3"
Annual Snowfall
1.7"

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 →
21,700 residents21,750 residents21,800 residents21,850 residents21,900 residents21,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,760 residents 21,887 residents ▲ +0.6%
Yucca Valley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
36
housing units authorized
Single-Family
36
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 33
2020 40
2021 19
2022 58
2023 59
2024 36

Permit volume increased 9% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.1 minutes
Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
10.7%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
6.1%
Other
2.0%

Based on 9,182 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 Yucca Valley 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

Lakeside CDP (San Diego County)
21,788 people
American Canyon
21,698 people
Port Hueneme
21,691 people
Willowbrook
21,642 people
Valinda
21,626 people
West Carson
21,909 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Yucca Valley's 21,744 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Castle, PA
21,727 people
Holiday, FL
21,768 people
Harvey, LA
21,710 people
Selden, NY
21,707 people
Four Square Mile, CO
21,788 people
Silver Firs, WA
21,796 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Yucca Valley's $55,302 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pueblo, CO
$55,305 median income
Holiday City South, NJ
$55,298 median income
Weatherly, PA
$55,298 median income
Massillon, OH
$55,308 median income
Aurora, WV
$55,296 median income
Fairfield, TX
$55,294 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Yucca Valley, 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 Yucca Valley, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.4% 19.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 25.0% White 67.4% Black or African American 3.5% Asian 1.9% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 1.6% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 19.4% 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 Yucca Valley 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
Yucca Valley (this city) 21,744 $55,302
Lakeside CDP (San Diego County) 21,788 $94,877
American Canyon 21,698 $123,935
Port Hueneme 21,691 $76,655
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Yucca Valley, CA?

What is the population of Yucca Valley, CA? +

21,744 people live in Yucca Valley, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Yucca Valley, CA? +

In Yucca Valley, the typical household earns $55,302 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Yucca Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Yucca Valley; 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 Yucca Valley, CA safe? +

Yucca Valley has a total crime rate of 1567.2 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 Yucca Valley, CA? +

Homes in Yucca Valley carry a median value of $321,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Yucca Valley? +

The average annual temperature in Yucca Valley runs 62.9°F, 6.3 inches of precipitation, and 1.7 inches of snowfall per year. 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.