Is Shell Ridge, CA a Good Place to Live?
Shell Ridge is a small town of 1,041 in California, with a median household income of $234,160 and a 1.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 118 (US average = 100), which is 18% above the national average.
Strengths: Shell Ridge stands out for a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Shell Ridge is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Shell Ridge 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: 118.2Shell Ridge's overall cost of living index is 118.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Shell Ridge costs roughly 18% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Shell Ridge, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,666,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 91.9% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $234,160 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageShell Ridge's violent crime rate is 361.2 per 100,000 residents — 5% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Shell Ridge, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 90.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 100.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Shell Ridge sees average highs of 58.4°F in January and 88.3°F in July, with 20.4 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Shell Ridge, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 58.4°F |
| Average High — July | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Shell Ridge, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,041 | — |
| Median Age | 44.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 51.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 70.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 6.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 8.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.9% | 16.8% |