2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Ridgecrest, CA vs Grand Junction, CO

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Highlights
- Household income in Grand Junction, is 24% less than it is in Ridgecrest and is 17% below the National Average.
- Ridgecrest unemployment rate is 4.1%.
- Grand Junction unemployment rate is 7.1%.
 Ridgecrest, CAGrand Junction, COUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock7.1%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock2.5%1.6%
 Future Job Growth26.0%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes8.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock4.6%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$36,966  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$58,892$69,021
 Family Median Income$91,994  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Ridgecrest, CAGrand Junction, COUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock10.0%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K3.1%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock9.4%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K6.0%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock8.2%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K7.3%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock10.3%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K12.8%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock15.4%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K10.5%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock5.0%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Ridgecrest, CAGrand Junction, COUnited States
 Management, business, finance14.1%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock4.2%6.5%
 Community, social services3.4%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock1.0%1.2%
 Education, library5.2%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock2.8%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology3.7%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock3.8%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement3.4%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock6.2%5.4%
 Building maintenance1.9%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.0%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support16.6%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.5%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair6.7%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock11.0%13.1%
Reviews for Ridgecrest    7 Reviews

For context, I grew up in Ridgecrest and moved away after graduating high school. I have since lived in LA and the Bay Area but I visit RC often. RC is in the high  More

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Ridgecrest and Kern County are red state bastions in a land of blue voting counties. If you want a concealed weapons permit, you'll get it. Want to own any firearm  More

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Over 13 years ago

The hardest thing to get used to in Ridgecrest is the weather. It can get quite windy. And hot. 115 hot. But it's a dry heat! It does cool off in the evening, and it  More

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Reviews for Grand Junction    54 Reviews

Grand Junction is another one of those fast growing places due to its cheaper than average cost of living. However with each passing year, that once $600 a month one  More

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I’ve lived in Grand Junction for 18 years, but have been coming here (girlfriend, wife, family) since 1992. I think the biggest change or challenge for long time locals,  More

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Over 4 years ago

I've lived in Grand Junction for 14 months and it is a nice area, but very expensive to live. There is an ongoing housing crisis due to poor city planning and it has  More

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