What are the schools like in Barstow, CA?

Barstow is served primarily by Barstow Unified. The district operates 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 23.0:1.

What is the median household income in Barstow?

The median household income in Barstow, CA is $52,200 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 9.1%.

What is the weather like in Barstow, CA?

Barstow has an average high temperature of 59.0°F in January and 102.1°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 5.0 inches and annual snowfall averages 0.3 inches.

Barstow, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Barstow, CA affordable or expensive?

Barstow's cost of living index is 108, where 100 represents the national average. This means Barstow is 8% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $173,600 and the median rent is $978 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Barstow, CA?

Barstow has a violent crime rate of 1108.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2639.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Barstow, CA a Good Place to Live?

Barstow is a small city of 25,235 in California, with a median household income of $52,200 and a 9.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Barstow stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Barstow is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Barstow 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

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

Metric	Barstow, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$173,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$978	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	43.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$52,200	$74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Barstow's violent crime rate is 1108.1 per 100,000 residents — 192% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

1108.1 /100k

Property Crime

2639.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Barstow is served primarily by Barstow Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Barstow, CA	National Avg
School District	Barstow Unified	—
Elementary Schools	8	—
Middle Schools	3	—
High Schools	3	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	23.0:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	10.4%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	84.0%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Barstow sees average highs of 59.0°F in January and 102.1°F in July, with 5.0 inches of annual precipitation and 0.3 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Barstow, CA
Average High — January	59.0°F
Average High — July	102.1°F
Annual Precipitation	5.0"
Annual Snowfall	0.3"

Demographics

Metric	Barstow, CA	National Avg
Population	25,235	—
Median Age	31.7	38.9
Unemployment Rate	9.1%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	27.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	40.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	15.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	29.1%	18.9%
Asian	1.6%	6.3%
Under 18	31.0%	22.2%
65 and over	11.6%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lenwood, CA 4 mi Yermo, CA 13 mi Silver Lakes, CA 19 mi Apple Valley, CA 25 mi Spring Valley Lake, CA 29 mi

ZIP Codes in Barstow

Barstow, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

92311 92347

Barstow vs Other Cities

Barstow, CA vs Lenwood, CA Barstow, CA vs Yermo, CA Barstow, CA vs Silver Lakes, CA Barstow, CA vs Apple Valley, CA Barstow, CA vs Spring Valley Lake, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Barstow, CA affordable or expensive?

Barstow's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Barstow roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $173,600 and median rent is $978/month.

What is the crime rate in Barstow, CA?

Barstow's violent crime rate is 1108.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2639.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Barstow?

Public schools in Barstow are operated by Barstow Unified. The district has 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.0:1. 10.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Barstow, CA a good place to live?

Barstow, CA has a population of 25,235, a median household income of $52,200, and an unemployment rate of 9.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Barstow?

Barstow averages 59.0°F in January and 102.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 5.0 inches with about 0.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Barstow?

Barstow, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 92311, 92347.

What is the population of Barstow?

The population of Barstow, California is 25,235 with a median age of 31.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Barstow?

Key numbers for living in Barstow: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $173,600, median household income $52,200, crime index 225 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Barstow side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.