2025 Compare Cities Overview:
South Lake Tahoe, CA vs Ridgecrest, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
Are people in Ridgecrest older or younger than people in South Lake Tahoe?
- The Median Age in Ridgecrest is 2.4 years younger than in South Lake Tahoe.

Are housing costs cheaper in Ridgecrest or South Lake Tahoe?
- Ridgecrest housing costs are 62.7% less expensive than South Lake Tahoe housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Ridgecrest or South Lake Tahoe?
- The average commute for residents of Ridgecrest is 7.0 minutes longer than it is for residents of South Lake Tahoe.

Things to do in South Lake Tahoe?
South Lake Tahoe, CA lies on the California/Nevada state line at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The area offers beautiful views of Lake Tahoe as well as skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports in nearby ski resorts such as Squaw Valley USA or Alpine Meadows Ski Resort.

Things to do in Ridgecrest?
Located in the Indian Wells Valley of the Mojave Desert, Ridgecrest is a city in Kern County known for its rich cultural and recreational activities. With a population of over 27,000, this growing city offers attractions such as the desert landscape and nearby mountains, along with local events and recreation opportunities.

 South Lake Tahoe, CARidgecrest, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock27,989329,725,481
 Median Income$57,976  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock36.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$657,600  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock4.1%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time16.48  Unlock26.38
Reviews for South Lake Tahoe    10 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Pretty boring town. Very run down and seedy too. Lake is nothing special either. I much prefer the Pacific coast or even the Atlantic coast or great  More

   |    Reply

Seriously I don't get what the big deal about this dump is everything is grossly overpriced scenery is boring and not at all interesting very boring nothing to do very  More

   |    Reply

Over 5 years ago

Beautiful place to live. This site has most of the details wrong, has somehow lumped it together with Sacramento. Elevation is 6250 feet at the lake. Weather is cold in  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of South Lake Tahoe

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

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

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Ridgecrest


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.