Median Income
$31,786
household / year
Median Home Value
$96,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$774
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Baker, CA a Good Place to Live?

Baker is a small town of 553 in California, with a median household income of $31,786 and a 4.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Baker stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Baker is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Baker city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 107.9

Baker's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Baker costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Baker, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $96,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $774 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 35.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $31,786 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Baker's violent crime rate is 520.8 per 100,000 residents — 37% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
520.8 /100k
Property Crime
1795.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Baker is served primarily by Baker Valley Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Baker, CA National Avg
School District Baker Valley Unified —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 0.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 72.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Baker sees average highs of 63.0°F in January and 109.6°F in July, with 4.3 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricBaker, CA
Average High — January63.0°F
Average High — July109.6°F
Annual Precipitation4.3"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricBaker, CANational Avg
Population553—
Median Age28.338.9
Unemployment Rate4.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time10.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)52.4%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino37.1%18.9%
Asian2.2%6.3%
Under 1828.8%22.2%
65 and over5.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Fort Irwin, CA 35 mi Tecopa, CA 38 mi Sandy Valley, NV 46 mi Charleston View, CA 49 mi Shoshone, CA 50 mi

ZIP Codes in Baker

Baker, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

92309

Baker vs Other Cities

Baker, CA vs Fort Irwin, CA Baker, CA vs Tecopa, CA Baker, CA vs Sandy Valley, NV Baker, CA vs Charleston View, CA Baker, CA vs Shoshone, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Baker's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Baker roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $96,100 and median rent is $774/month.
Baker's violent crime rate is 520.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1795.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Baker are operated by Baker Valley Unified. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.5:1. 0.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Baker, CA has a population of 553, a median household income of $31,786, and an unemployment rate of 4.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Baker averages 63.0°F in January and 109.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 4.3 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Baker, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 92309.
The population of Baker, California is 553 with a median age of 28.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Baker: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $96,100, median household income $31,786, crime index 116 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Baker side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.