Median Income
$55,410
household / year
Median Home Value
$217,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$950
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is California City, CA a Good Place to Live?

California City is a small city of 15,002 in California, with a median household income of $55,410 and a 16.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: California City stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether California City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All California City 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: 102.2

California City's overall cost of living index is 102.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in California City costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric California City, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $217,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $950 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 59.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,410 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

California City's violent crime rate is 588.8 per 100,000 residents — 55% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
588.8 /100k
Property Crime
1587.4 /100k

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

Schools & Education

California City is served primarily by Mojave Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric California City, CA National Avg
School District Mojave Unified —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 23.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 77.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

California City sees average highs of 57.9°F in January and 97.2°F in July, with 5.8 inches of annual precipitation and 1.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricCalifornia City, CA
Average High — January57.9°F
Average High — July97.2°F
Annual Precipitation5.8"
Annual Snowfall1.2"

Demographics

MetricCalifornia City, CANational Avg
Population15,002—
Median Age34.438.9
Unemployment Rate16.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time43.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)43.6%59.3%
Black or African American23.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino23.4%18.9%
Asian1.7%6.3%
Under 1823.1%22.2%
65 and over11.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

North Edwards, CA 8 mi Boron, CA 14 mi Edwards AFB, CA 17 mi Randsburg, CA 19 mi Johannesburg, CA 20 mi

ZIP Codes in California City

California City, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93505

California City vs Other Cities

California City, CA vs North Edwards, CA California City, CA vs Boron, CA California City, CA vs Edwards AFB, CA California City, CA vs Randsburg, CA California City, CA vs Johannesburg, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

California City's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts California City roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $217,000 and median rent is $950/month.
California City's violent crime rate is 588.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1587.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in California City are operated by Mojave Unified. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.1:1. 10.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
California City, CA has a population of 15,002, a median household income of $55,410, and an unemployment rate of 16.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
California City averages 57.9°F in January and 97.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 5.8 inches with about 1.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
California City, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93505.
The population of California City, California is 15,002 with a median age of 34.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in California City: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $217,000, median household income $55,410, crime index 123 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare California City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.