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Our Community

Ridgecrest offers:

Ridgecrest is a growing community that offers a wide range of activities, especially for the outdoor enthusiast.

A major tourist attraction for Ridgecrest is being located within two hours of the highest (Mount Whitney) and lowest points (Death Valley) in the contiguous U.S.

  • Parks
  • Local shopping
  • Restaurants
  • China Lake Golf Course (18 holes)
  • Ridgecrest Cinemas (8 screens)
  • Bowling
  • Public library
  • Historic USO Building
  • Historic Rand Mining District
  • Parade of 1,000 Flags
  • Museums (Maturango Museum and China Lake Museum)
  • Desert Tortoise Natural Area (California’s State Reptile)
  • Festivals and Fairs
Points of Interest:
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Fossil Falls
  • Sequoia National Forest
  • Petroglyphs
  • Trona Pinnacles
  • Robbers Roost
  • Red Rock Canyon State Park
  • Kennedy Meadows
  • Walkers Pass
Community Facts
  • Population: approximately 28,300 (2025 U.S. Census estimate)
  • 2,290 feet above sea level
  • Commute time: about 17 minutes one-way, well under the U.S. average of 27 minutes.
  • As the only incorporated community in the Indian Wells Valley, Ridgecrest serves as the urban center for northeastern Kern, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties.
  • The City's incorporated area covers approximately 13,300 acres (about 21 square miles) and is located in the Mojave Desert, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and west of Death Valley National Park.
  • Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, adjacent to Ridgecrest, is the Navy's largest single land holding at more than 1.1 million acres. It is home to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, which researches, develops, tests and evaluates weapons systems in partnership with Navy personnel and contractors.
  • California is the 3rd largest state in the U.S. and has a very diverse geography. Ridgecrest is just a car ride away from mountains, beaches, Death Valley and major cities.
Weather
  • Average annual rainfall: about 5 inches (the U.S. average is 38 inches)
  • Average days of sunshine per year: 279 (the U.S. average is 205)
  • Average July high temperature: 105°F
  • Average January low temperature: 31°F
Market Data
  • Median household income: $89,250
  • Median home value in Ridgecrest: approximately $255,000 to $270,000
  • Median monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment: approximately $1,050
Education
  • Ridgecrest offers many educational opportunities for all ages.
  • Sierra Sands Unified School District serves approximately 5,200 students with a 78% graduation rate and operates 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 comprehensive high school and 1 continuation high school.
  • The district's comprehensive high school is Sherman E. Burroughs High School, serving about 1,400 students. Mesquite Continuation High School serves students who benefit from an alternative path to graduation.
  • REALMS (Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, and Science) is a tuition-free TK–6 public charter school authorized by the Kern County Board of Education. Originally opened in 2001, the school emphasizes language, music and science in its curriculum.
  • There are a number of private school options in the area, including Immanuel Christian School (preschool through 12th grade), which reports a 100% high school graduation rate and that 90% of its graduates attend colleges and universities.
  • Cerro Coso Community College is one of three colleges in the Kern Community College District, alongside Bakersfield College and Porterville College.