Ridgecrest, California Income Statistics
Ridgecrest 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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B
Ridgecrest Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ridgecrest | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $86,863 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $79,552 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 20.8% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 12.3% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ridgecrest is about 12% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Ridgecrest (4.7%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 21% of adults in Ridgecrest earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Ridgecrest, California grew by 49.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $86,863 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Ridgecrest has stayed above the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never fallen below it. It came closest in 2017, at 7.0% higher. The gap has narrowed from 14% in 2009 to 8.0% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Ridgecrest
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 3,898 households (42.7% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 20.6% of households in Ridgecrest had an income under $35,000 and 22.5% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Ridgecrest has a larger share of households earning $100,000 to $149,999 (20.2% vs 17.4%) and a smaller share earning $25,000 to $34,999 (3.9% vs 6.7%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 687 | 7.5% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 223 | 2.4% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 610 | 6.7% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 357 | 3.9% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 709 | 7.8% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,377 | 15.1% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,268 | 13.9% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 1,848 | 20.2% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 927 | 10.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,124 | 12.3% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 9,129 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 3,628 residents (20.8% 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 24.7% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 15.7% of Ridgecrest residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 23.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 31.4% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Ridgecrest has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (20.8% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (11.1% vs 14.3%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 2,735 | 15.7% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 1,719 | 9.9% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,049 | 6.0% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,280 | 7.3% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,249 | 7.2% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,984 | 11.4% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,940 | 11.1% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,835 | 10.5% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 3,628 | 20.8% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 17,418 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 15.7% 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 Ridgecrest
| Metric | Ridgecrest | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.556 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $97,331 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $62,192 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 36.1% | 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 Ridgecrest, it is 0.556, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 57% more than women's income in Ridgecrest, California. Over a 35-year career, a 57% wage gap accumulates to roughly $1,229,865 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ridgecrest, California has narrowed from about 40% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 32% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,588 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ridgecrest | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 760 people are unemployed in Ridgecrest, California.
The average commute time in Ridgecrest is 13 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ridgecrest, California has fallen from 7.9% to 7.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.6% in 2014 and fell as low as 6.8% in 2019.
Ridgecrest started 0.8 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2014, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.8 points higher.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ridgecrest, California has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ridgecrest, California.
How Rich Is Ridgecrest, California?
Ridgecrest has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $86,863, about 12% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Ridgecrest, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ridgecrest, California rose 49%, from $58,150 to $86,863. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +49% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Ridgecrest in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ridgecrest, California was $86,380, about the same as in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Ridgecrest in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ridgecrest, California was $70,453. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $86,863.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ridgecrest, California?
The Gini coefficient in Ridgecrest is 0.556. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Ridgecrest, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ridgecrest, California has narrowed from about 40% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 32% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,588 since 2009.
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