2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Ridgecrest, CA vs Needles, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Needles, is 58% less than it is in Ridgecrest and is 110% below the National Average.
- Ridgecrest unemployment rate is 4.1%.
- Needles unemployment rate is 7.8%.
 Ridgecrest, CANeedles, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock7.8%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock2.3%1.6%
 Future Job Growth26.0%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes8.3%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$36,966  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$32,839$69,021
 Family Median Income$91,994  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Ridgecrest, CANeedles, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock21.6%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K3.1%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock12.4%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K6.0%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock4.6%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K7.3%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock6.1%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K12.8%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock6.4%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K10.5%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock1.8%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Ridgecrest, CANeedles, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance14.1%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock0.4%6.5%
 Community, social services3.4%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.1%1.2%
 Education, library5.2%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock2.7%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology3.7%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock8.5%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement3.4%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock7.6%5.4%
 Building maintenance1.9%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock1.5%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support16.6%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.0%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair6.7%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock13.8%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 Needles    2 Reviews

I own a home in full, with no mortgage and a spacious yard. I can walk to white, sandy beach riverfront in 10 minutes from my front door. In 20 minutes I can be at  More

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Over 15 years ago

Have lived in Needles for 7 years now. This town is being over run with trash. The town is broke due to Dirt bags people that live off of the system. They said  More

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