Barstow, California Income Statistics
Barstow Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Barstow Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,786 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,251 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.9% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Barstow is about 43% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Barstow (4.6%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Barstow earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Barstow, California grew by 24.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,786 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Barstow has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2010, at 9.1% lower. The gap has widened from 10% in 2009 to 29% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Barstow
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 2,345 households (25.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 32.5% of households in Barstow had an income under $35,000 and 12.5% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Barstow has a larger share of households earning $15,000 to $24,999 (10.3% vs 6.4%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (2.9% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 819 | 8.9% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 518 | 5.6% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 952 | 10.3% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 710 | 7.7% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,289 | 14.0% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,299 | 14.1% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,295 | 14.0% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 1,187 | 12.9% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 894 | 9.7% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 263 | 2.9% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 9,226 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 1,230 residents (6.5% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 8.0% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 19.8% of Barstow residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 31.8% had some income but less than $25,000, and 17.2% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Barstow has a larger share of residents with no personal income (19.8% vs 12.8%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.5% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 3,779 | 19.8% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 2,350 | 12.3% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,525 | 8.0% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,196 | 11.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,844 | 9.7% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,249 | 11.8% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,851 | 9.7% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,044 | 10.7% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 1,230 | 6.5% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 19,067 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 19.8% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Barstow
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.585 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,948 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,270 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.0% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Barstow, it is 0.585, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 30% more than women's income in Barstow, California. Over a 35-year career, a 30% wage gap accumulates to roughly $513,730 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barstow, California has narrowed from about 30% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2011, and was narrowest at 4% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $465 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Barstow | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.9% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,117 people are unemployed in Barstow, California.
The average commute time in Barstow is 17 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Barstow, California has risen from 8.5% to 10.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.9% in 2014 and fell as low as 8.0% in 2020.
Barstow started 0.2 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2012, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 5.6 points higher.
Barstow, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Barstow, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barstow, CA | 25,500 | $56,786 #2/2 | 4.6%/yr #2/2 | 10.9% #2/2 | 0.585 #1/2 |
| Apple Valley, CA | 71,935 | $71,473 | 5.1%/yr | 7.7% | 0.586 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Barstow, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Barstow, California.
How Rich Is Barstow, California?
Barstow has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $56,786, about 43% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Barstow, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Barstow, California rose 24%, from $45,766 to $56,786. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +24% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Barstow in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Barstow, California was $56,122, up 7% from $52,551 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Barstow in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Barstow, California was $43,719. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $56,786.
Is unemployment high in Barstow, California?
Unemployment in Barstow, California is 10.9%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Barstow, California?
The Gini coefficient in Barstow is 0.585. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Barstow, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barstow, California has narrowed from about 30% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2011, and was narrowest at 4% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $465 since 2009.
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