The Town FilesYucca Valley, California
Town in San Bernardino County · population 21,738 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,400
- Household income
- $59,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.1
Yucca Valley is a town of 21,738 people in San Bernardino County, California. The median home is worth $363,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of California towns, easier by car than 82% of California towns.
How Yucca Valley ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Yucca Valley is worth $363,400, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $59,563, which is more affordable than 56% of California towns. Median rent is $1,428 a month. 63.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Yucca Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,428 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $59,563 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in Yucca Valley
| People | Yucca Valley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Yucca Valley
July highs average 96.4°F and January lows 37.6°F. About 6.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 109 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 31 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yucca Valley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 7, 1982 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 5 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 14, 2004.
Severe weather in San Bernardino County since 1996
San Bernardino County has been included in 61 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5537: Bridge Fire |
| September 7, 2024 | Fire | FM-5535: Line Fire |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County had 845,908 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,368 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Yucca Valley itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Yucca Valley
6 public schools with 3,572 students, about 21.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yucca Valley High | 9-12 | 1,271 | 21.5 |
| La Contenta Middle | 7-8 | 645 | 18.4 |
| Onaga Elementary | K-6 | 622 | 24.9 |
| Yucca Valley Elementary | K-6 | 517 | 22.5 |
| Yucca Mesa Elementary | K-6 | 389 | 22.9 |
| Black Rock Alternative/Continuation | 9-12 | 128 | 14.2 |
Towns near Yucca Valley
- Joshua Tree, CA6.2 mi · 6,489 people · home $334,200
- Morongo Valley, CA8.8 mi · 3,514 people · home $285,400
- Homestead Valley, CA10.3 mi · 2,789 people · home $245,900
- Desert Hot Springs, CA13.4 mi · 32,512 people · home $354,800
- Desert Edge, CA13.9 mi · 4,180 people · home $76,300
- Garnet, CA14.6 mi · 7,118 people · home $267,900
- Cathedral City, CA20.0 mi · 51,493 people · home $453,100
- Twentynine Palms, CA20.4 mi · 28,065 people · home $268,200
Yucca Valley questions
Is Yucca Valley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Yucca Valley scores better for retirees than 53% of California towns and quieter than 56%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Yucca Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Yucca Valley is valued at $363,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,563, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,428 a month.
What is the weather like in Yucca Valley?
July highs average 96.4°F and January lows 37.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 6.2 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Yucca Valley get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Yucca Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 7, 1982. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)