Is Big River, CA a Good Place to Live?
Big River is a small town of 1,028 in California, with a median household income of $47,222 and a 11.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.
Strengths: Big River stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Big River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Big River 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: 107.9Big River's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Big River costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Big River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $128,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $767 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $47,222 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageBig River's violent crime rate is 520.8 per 100,000 residents — 37% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Big River is served primarily by Needles Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Big River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Needles Unified | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 5.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Big River sees average highs of 68.7°F in January and 108.4°F in July, with 4.6 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Big River, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 68.7°F |
| Average High — July | 108.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 4.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Big River, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,028 | — |
| Median Age | 58.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 16.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 13.7% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 31.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Big River
Big River, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: