In Ridgecrest, a typical home is worth $253,900 and typical rent is $1,186 a month. Compared with all of Kern County, typical household income is 27% higher and the typical home value is 25% lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $248,359 to $266,174.
Typical rent
$1,274a month
▲ 2.6% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $1,023 to $1,274.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Ridgecrest is in Kern County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Kern County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Ridgecrest has the 23rd lowest typical home value of the 654 cities in California with more than 5,000 people ($253,900).
2
The typical household income in Ridgecrest is $89,250,27% more than in Kern County as a whole ($70,210).
3
Ridgecrest has the 36th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 616 cities in California with more than 5,000 people (41%).
4
Nearby, in Mojave, the typical home value is $213,600: 16% less than in Ridgecrest ($253,900).
5
Ridgecrest has the 52nd lowest typical rent of the 648 cities in California with more than 5,000 people ($1,186).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Ridgecrest
What homes there are in Ridgecrest, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Kind of home: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Detached house
69%
72%
57%
61%
Attached house
4%
3%
7%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
14%
8%
8%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
9%
24%
19%
Mobile home
8%
7%
4%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
Detached houses are the majority in Ridgecrest (69%), but less so than in Kern County (72%).
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or later
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Year built: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Before 1960
11%
18%
27%
26%
1960–1979
35%
25%
29%
24%
1980–1999
44%
30%
25%
25%
2000–2009
6%
17%
11%
14%
2010 or later
4%
10%
8%
11%
By age, homes in Ridgecrest look like those in Kern County: the typical year built is 1981.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Under the limitOver the limitUnreliable estimate
Under $100K8%
$100K–$200K16%
$200K–$300K44%
$300K–$500K28%
$500K–$750KUnreliable
FHA limit: $541,287
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Under $100K
8%
$100K–$200K
16%
$200K–$300K
44%
$300K–$500K
28%
$500K–$750K
Unreliable estimate
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 96% of owner-occupied homes in Ridgecrest sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99934%
$1,000–$1,49934%
$1,500–$1,99917%
$2,000–$2,49911%
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
34%
$1,000–$1,499
34%
$1,500–$1,999
17%
$2,000–$2,499
11%
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$1,747 a month
Kern County: $1,968 a month
Without a mortgage
$514 a month
Kern County: $631 a month
Owners with a mortgage
65%
Kern County: 66%
The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Ridgecrest is $1,747 a month, less than in Kern County ($1,968); without one, $514.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Ridgecrest+41%
Kern County+58%
California+46%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Ridgecrest+35%
Kern County+33%
California+36%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Ridgecrest+28%
Kern County+32%
California+32%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Typical home value
+41%
+58%
+46%
+53%
Typical rent
+35%
+33%
+36%
+33%
Typical household income
+28%
+32%
+32%
+29%
From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Ridgecrest rose 41%; in Kern County, it rose 58%.
The typical rent in Ridgecrest rose 35% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Kern County (33%).
The typical household income in Ridgecrest rose 28%: less than home values (+41%) and rent (+35%).
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Ridgecrest and its comparisons
Measure
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
United States
Rental vacancy
6.7%
3.5%
4.2%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
0.9%
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
4.1%
9.8%
8.2%
3.4%
People per household
2.47
3.12
2.84
2.53
Drive alone
73%
78%
66%
69%
Carpool
12%
11%
10%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
0%
3%
3%
Walk or bike
2%
1%
3%
3%
Work from home
11%
8%
17%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
2%
Typical commute
10 to 19 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
The rental vacancy rate in Ridgecrest is 6.7%, higher than in Kern County (3.5%).
More than one person per room: that is how 4.1% of households in Ridgecrest live, less than in Kern County (9.8%).
Households in Ridgecrest are smaller: 2.47 people on average; in Kern County, 3.12.
In Ridgecrest, 11% of workers work from home, more than in Kern County (8%).
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Ridgecrest?
A typical home is tight for the typical income
We start with a typical home in Ridgecrest, worth $253,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 28% of the typical household income in Ridgecrest, which is $89,250 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $90,431 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Kern County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Ridgecrest. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $8,887 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$2,110
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$249,301
Total interest
$358,685
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $4,288 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $2,083 a month
Tight
$2,083 to $2,678 a month
Your payment · 28%
Hard
more than $2,678 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Ridgecrest ($89,250 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$1,689
Property tax
$203
Home insurance
$106
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$112
You need at least $8,887 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $2,110; principal and interest $1,689.
The city and its county
Ridgecrest and Kern County
Ridgecrest is in Kern County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Ridgecrest
Map of Kern County, California, with Ridgecrest marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Ridgecrest
Kern County
Other cities with a page
Ridgecrest's own numbers
Typical home value
$253,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,186
Typical yearly household income
$89,250
Households that own their home
59%
Effective property tax rate
0.96%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Kern County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,656
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+51%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
5%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Kern County.
A typical home in Ridgecrest is worth $253,900: 25% below the county and 65% below California. With the typical household income in Ridgecrest ($89,250 a year), a typical home costs 2.8 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Ridgecrest2.8 years
Kern4.8 years
California7.4 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Kern County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Kern County rose 88% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Kern County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Kern County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +3.0% +3.0% 2016
2017: +4.0% +4.0% 2017
2018: +5.1% +5.1% 2018
2019: +4.8% +4.8% 2019
2020: +5.3% +5.3% 2020
2021: +15.2% +15.2% 2021
2022: +17.1% +17.1% 2022
2023: +4.8% +4.8% 2023
2024: +4.7% +4.7% 2024
2025: +2.0% +2.0% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Kern County, California and the United States
Period
County
California
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+2.0%
+0.8%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+51%
+40%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+88%
+80%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Ridgecrest next to Kern County, California and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Ridgecrest$253,900
Kern$338,300
California$734,700
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Ridgecrest$1,186
Kern$1,300
California$2,036
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Ridgecrest$89,250
Kern$70,210
California$99,122
United States$80,734
See the full table
Ridgecrest next to Kern County and California
Measure
Ridgecrest
Kern County
California
U.S.
Typical home value
$253,900 ▼25% below the county
$338,300
$734,700
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,186 ▼9% below the county
$1,300
$2,036
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$89,250 ▲27% above the county
$70,210
$99,122
$80,734
Households that own their home
59% ▼1 points below the county
60%
56%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$2,448 ▼18% below the county
$2,984
$5,124
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.96% ▲0.08 points above the county
0.88%
0.7%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
41% ▼16 points below the county
56%
55%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Kern County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ridgecrest
For a typical $253,900 home in Ridgecrest, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ridgecrest's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$2,110a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$8,887
Cash to close
$16,504
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $112
Conventional, 5% down$2,064a month
Down payment
$12,695
Cash to close
$20,312
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $121
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$1,685a month
Down payment
$50,780
Cash to close
$58,397
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$1,920a month
Down payment
$38,085
Cash to close
$45,702
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ridgecrest
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$2,110
$8,887
$249,301
7.18%
FHA MIP · $112
$16,504
580
Conventional, 5% down
$2,064
$12,695
$241,205
7.18%
PMI · $121
$20,312
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$1,685
$50,780
$203,120
7.18%
None
$58,397
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$1,920
$38,085
$215,815
8.18%
None
$45,702
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Ridgecrest is $1,186 a month: 9% below the county. In Ridgecrest, 41% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Kern County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,656 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $31.85 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Kern County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,265
$24.33
$50,600
1 bedroom
$1,273
$24.48
$50,920
2 bedrooms
$1,656
$31.85
$66,240
3 bedrooms
$2,293
$44.10
$91,720
4 bedrooms
$2,768
$53.23
$110,720
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Ridgecrest
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ridgecrest is in ZIP code 93555.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,990: $334 more than the fair market rent for Kern County ($1,656).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Ridgecrest, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
93555
$1,530
$1,600
$1,990
$2,630
$3,170
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
93555 $1,990$2,630
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ridgecrest when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Kern County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Ridgecrest or Kern County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Ridgecrest the same as in the rest of the state.
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional).Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Ridgecrest or Kern County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Ridgecrest and all of Kern County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Ridgecrest?
The typical home value in Ridgecrest is $253,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Kern County it is $338,300.
How much does it cost to rent in Ridgecrest?
Typical rent in Ridgecrest is $1,186 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Kern County is $1,656.
What is the FHA loan limit in Ridgecrest?
Ridgecrest uses the FHA limit for all of Kern County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Ridgecrest?
The typical homeowner in Ridgecrest pays $2,448 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.96% of the home’s value; in Kern County, the rate is 0.88%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Ridgecrest?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Kern County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
