Ridgecrest, CA

Census Place

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2022 Population

28,118

0.461% 1-year growth

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Laphonza Butler

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

35.4

3.28% 1-year decrease

2022 Poverty Rate

10.6%

7.4% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$85,872

10.8% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$224,600

16% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

11,840

1.91% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Ridgecrest, CA had a population of 28.1k people with a median age of 35.4 and a median household income of $85,872. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Ridgecrest, CA grew from 27,989 to 28,118, a 0.461% increase and its median household income grew from $77,534 to $85,872, a 10.8% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Ridgecrest, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (65.1%), Other (Hispanic) (8.62%), White (Hispanic) (7.56%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.07%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (4.51%).

None of the households in Ridgecrest, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.8% of the residents in Ridgecrest, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Ridgecrest, CA are Cerro Coso Community College (1,001 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Ridgecrest, CA was $224,600, and the homeownership rate was 59.9%.

Most people in Ridgecrest, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 16 minutes. The average car ownership in Ridgecrest, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States California Kern County, CA Bakersfield, CA Kern County (East)--Ridgecrest, Arvin, Tehachapi & California City Cities PUMA, CA San Bernardino County (Northeast)--Twentynine Palms & Barstow Cities PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

Ridgecrest, CA is home to a population of 28.1k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 7.02% of Ridgecrest, CA residents were born outside of the country (1.97k people).

In 2022, there were 7.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (18.3k people) in Ridgecrest, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.43k Other (Hispanic) and 2.13k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2022 Citizenship

97.5%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.8% of Ridgecrest, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Ridgecrest, CA was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Ridgecrest, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Ridgecrest, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
18.3k ± 1.01k
Other (Hispanic)
2.43k ± 617
White (Hispanic)
2.13k ± 594

21.7%

Hispanic Population

6.11k people

21.7% of the people in Ridgecrest, CA are hispanic (6.11k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Ridgecrest, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

7.02%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.97k people

7.49%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

2.1k people

As of 2022, 7.02% of Ridgecrest, CA residents (1.97k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Ridgecrest, CA was 7.49%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Ridgecrest, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,292 ± 349
Gulf War (1990s)
768 ± 269
Vietnam
718 ± 182

Ridgecrest, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.68 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Ridgecrest, CA employs 11.8k people. The largest industries in Ridgecrest, CA are Public Administration (3,648 people), Educational Services (1,356 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,096 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($101,635), Utilities ($94,519), and Manufacturing ($86,200).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

11.8k

2022 Value

± 966

−1.91%

1 Year decline

± 11.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Ridgecrest, CA declined at a rate of −1.91%, from 12.1k employees to 11.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Ridgecrest, CA, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations (1,635 people), Management Occupations (1,106 people), and Computer & Mathematical Occupations (1,106 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Ridgecrest, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

11.8k

2022 Value

± 966

−1.91%

1 Year decline

± 11.7%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Ridgecrest, CA declined at a rate of −1.91%, from 12.1k employees to 11.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Ridgecrest, CA, are Public Administration (3,648 people), Educational Services (1,356 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,096 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Ridgecrest, CA, though some of these residents may live in Ridgecrest, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$85,461

Median earning men ± $3,664

$43,461

Median earning women ± $3,355

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($106,085), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,431), and Manufacturing ($85,325).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Manufacturing ($112,933), Public Administration ($81,732), and Construction ($69,435).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Ridgecrest, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Laphonza Butler

Senator from California

Assumed office on October 3, 2023
Appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Ridgecrest, CA awarded 1,001 degrees. The student population of Ridgecrest, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 2,097 male students and 2,822 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Ridgecrest, CA are White (439 and 43.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (353 and 35.3%), Black or African American (63 and 6.29%), and Asian (47 and 4.7%).

The largest universities in Ridgecrest, CA by number of degrees awarded are Cerro Coso Community College (1,001 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Ridgecrest, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (294 and 29.4%), Humanistic Studies (179 and 17.9%), and Information Technology (72 and 7.19%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 4,919 students enrolled in Ridgecrest, CA, 42.6% men and 57.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 2,255 records, of which 59% were women and 41% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
294 degrees awarded
Humanistic Studies
179 degrees awarded
General Psychology
58 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Ridgecrest, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 294 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Ridgecrest, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Cerro Coso Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,001 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Cerro Coso Community College with 1,001 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 457 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Ridgecrest, CA, which is 0.84 times less than the 544 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 439 degrees mean that there were 1.24 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 353 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($1,380) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($4) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,125) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Ridgecrest, CA was $224,600 in 2022, which is 0.797 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $193,700 to $224,600, a 16% increase. The homeownership rate in Ridgecrest, CA is 59.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Ridgecrest, CA have an average commute time of 16 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Ridgecrest, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$224,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$7,015

$6,675

Median Property Taxes

±$628

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Ridgecrest, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Ridgecrest, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

59.9%

Homeownership

2022

65.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 59.9% of the housing units in Ridgecrest, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 59.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Ridgecrest, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 54.02
Census Tract 53

The following map shows all of the places in Ridgecrest, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$85,872

Median Household Income

± $5,603

11.1k

Number of Households

± 886

In 2022, the median household income of the 11.1k households in Ridgecrest, CA grew to $85,872 from the previous year's value of $77,534.

The following chart displays the households in Ridgecrest, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Ridgecrest, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (77.5%)
Carpooled (10.2%)
Worked At Home (8.54%)

In 2022, 77.5% of workers in Ridgecrest, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.2%) and those who worked at home (8.54%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

16 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Ridgecrest, CA have a shorter commute time (16 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.92% of the workforce in Ridgecrest, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Ridgecrest, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Ridgecrest, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Ridgecrest, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

10.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Ridgecrest, CA (2.94k out of 27.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Ridgecrest, CA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

96.2% of the population of Ridgecrest, CA has health coverage, with 46.8% on employee plans, 20.1% on Medicaid, 7.31% on Medicare, 18.3% on non-group plans, and 3.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see 2021 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2023 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1965 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Kern County, CA.

2,021 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kern County, CA

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see an average of 2,021 patients per year. This represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2,023 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kern County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 29.1% under 18 years, 19.9% between 18 and 34 years, 37.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48% were men and 52% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.79%

Uninsured

46.8%

Employer Coverage

20.1%

Medicaid

7.31%

Medicare

18.3%

Non-Group

3.67%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Ridgecrest, CA declined by 0.623% from 3.81% to 3.79%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Ridgecrest, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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