Mojave-aerial-070909-03cr, 2007
Mojave’s story
150 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,055 in 1950, 4,699 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1947 on.
- 1876Mojave is settled
MojaveCA
A town of 5,173, settled in 1876.
Population
5,173
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$236K
−0.7% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
31.1
years
Jobs based here
2,631
A job hub
TownGrade
D−
#833 of 841 in CA
Is Mojave a good place to live?
Mojave grades D− overall, 833rd of 841 graded towns in California, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $56K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. Residents are less healthy than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Mojave, above both California’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On cost of living, just 91 of California’s 1,058 towns do better. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 79% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top.
What makes Mojave stand out
Where Mojave beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,398 people come to Mojave for work
Where Mojave’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,631jobs based in Mojave
20%of working residents work in town
43 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Mojave grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Mojave is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthAdventist Health Tehachapi Valley 18.6 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 97° summer afternoons, 1″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 31.1; 9% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Mojave: who provides what
Mojave is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAntelope Valley East Kern Water AgencyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKern County Clerk - Elections OfficeKern County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9350193501 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mojave.
Mojave draws workers from Lancaster and beyond and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has poverty well above the California rate.
HousingCost of living grade C+
Mojave’s typical home value is about $236K
The median property tax bill is $1,064, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Mojave home is worth about $236,000, down 0.7% in a year, 69% below the California typical home. 38% of households own their home in Mojave.
$236KZillow home value
| Mojave | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 38% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,214 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Mojave$236K
California$762K
−0.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC−
On state tests, Mojave’s schools trail 85% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Mojave Unified school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Mojave Jr./Sr. High, with 400 students.
15%of CA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mojave ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 420 | – |
| Mojave Jr./Sr. HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 400 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, more of Mojave’s adults report frequent mental distress
23% of Mojave adults report frequent mental distress. Mojave beats the California average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 24. 34% of Mojave adults say their health is fair or poor.
5%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Mojave | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 22% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
0 better8 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Mojave | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 15.4% | 7.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.5% | 10.6% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 33.7% | 17.9% |
Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley
18.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
3rd
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
About one in five working residents works right in Mojave
2,631 jobs are based in Mojave, 2.2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here grew from 2,018 in 2013 to 2,631.
About one in 5 of Mojave’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Mojave is 32 minutes. Since 2013, Mojave has added 613 jobs, to 2,631 in 2023.
20%work in town
| Mojave | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Mojave20%
Lancaster11%
Los Angeles6%
Palmdale5%
Bakersfield5%
43 mi
median commute distance
2,631
jobs based in Mojave
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 28% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 0.5% of Mojave
94 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Mojave’s trail density is 1.6 miles per square mile.
#221for trails in CA
| Mojave | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.6 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
0.5%
conserved · 192 of 37,240 acres
94 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mojave East Park | 0.1 mi | 9 |
| 2. Mojave West Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Mojave faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
One flood insurance claim has been paid in Mojave since 2005.
79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2005
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Mojave, expect mild winters and hot summers
The Mojave weather station records that about 110 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 97.4°, hotter than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 33.1°.
Mojave has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. About 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
1″snow a winter
| Mojave | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 97°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 33°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–58°
Spring46–73°
Summer65–95°
Fall48–78°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Mar 15
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearby attractions
All 49 attractions →St. Francis Dam and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Mojave. Close and well known come first.
Big draw37 mi DamSt. Francis Dam
17 mi LandmarkBalls 8
38 mi Park & preserveVasquez Rocks
27 mi State parkRed Rock Canyon State Park17 mi MuseumAir Force Flight Test Museum40 mi Zoo & aquariumShambala PreserveSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
St. Francis Dam: Stearns, H.T. USGS, Public domain · Balls 8: NASA/Tony Landis, Public domain · Vasquez Rocks: Thomas from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Red Rock Canyon State Park: Jean trans h+, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mojave
18pages on Mojave
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mojave; the nearest are
Antelope Valley Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Lancaster23.4 mi$1,124 in-state tuitionCollege of the CanyonsCommunity college · Public · Santa Clarita47.4 mi$1,166 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield56.6 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Mojave residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A growing town
Mojave has grown 11% from 2010 to 2020
4,238 counted in 2010 and 4,699 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
About Mojave
Unincorporated community in California, United States
Mojave (formerly Mohave) is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Bakersfield, and 100 miles (161 km) north of Los Angeles, at an elevation of 2,762.46 feet (842.00 m). The town is located in the western region of the Mojave Desert, below and east of Oak Creek Pass and the Tehachapi Mountains. Mojave is on the Pacific Crest Trail. The population was 4,700 at the 2020 census, up from 4,238 at the 2010 census. Telephone numbers in Mojave follow the format (661) 824-xxxx and the area includes three postal ZIP Codes.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 58 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,762 ft
- ZIP code
- 93501, 93502
- Area code
- 661
Questions about Mojave
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mojave, CA a good place to live?
Mojave grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #833 of 841 in California. It grades D for health and C− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Mojave, CA expensive?
That is 3.4 years of the area's median household income ($70,210 across the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Mojave, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Sara Kathryn Arledge and Steve Archer.