Barstow, California Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Barstow, CA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,500 | 39,245,658 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 616.8 | 239.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.57% | 0.19% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 31.5 | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,226 | 13,531,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Barstow grew by 3.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 25,500 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Barstow is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.7% of residents. That is 2.0 points above California as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,054 23.7% +2.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,459 21.4% -2.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,407 17.3% -2.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,318 13.0% -2.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below California, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.8% of the people living in Barstow and men 48.2%.
- Women 51.8% California 49.9%
- Men 48.2% California 50.1%
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Economy
Barstow has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,786 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.59% | 5.57% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Barstow is about 43% lower than in California.
Housing
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $213,567 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,116 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 47.0% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Barstow is about 15.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,116 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Barstow spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 143 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.1 | 23.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.3 | 47.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 143 | 196 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,430 | $6,065 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 16,105 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,872 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Barstow is 17 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Barstow has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.73 | 2.84 | 2.53 |
Health
Barstow has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 72.9 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.8% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.6% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Barstow, CA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Barstow, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barstow, CA | 25,500 | $56,786 #2/2 | $213,567 #1/2 | 17.1 min #1/2 |
| Apple Valley, CA | 71,935 | $71,473 | $117,963 | 25.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Barstow, California.
How big is Barstow, California by population?
About 25,500 people live in Barstow, California, in 9,226 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 31.5, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Barstow, California mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Barstow, California has 617 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 7.1 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Barstow, California?
The median home costs 3.8 times the median household income ($213,567 against $56,786), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,116 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Barstow, California?
Unemployment in Barstow, California is 10.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Barstow, California have a college degree?
9.8% of adults in Barstow, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 10), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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