Population 5,413 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Needles
Household size in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 3.35 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 3.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 3.42 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 3.34 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Needles is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.39 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 34 have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.8 | 33.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.8 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 35.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.8 | 37.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.0 | +3.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Needles skews older: half of its residents are older than 50.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 44.8 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 40 are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 15.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 15.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 14.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Needles (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in the Riverside area overall (14.8%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Needles
Renters in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 32.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.4% | 36.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.6% | 36.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.8% | 34.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Needles than nationally: 45.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 62.8% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 33.4% | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.5% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 34.5% of the housing in Needles, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Needles are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the wider Riverside area, where the median home dates to 1986. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $690 | $1,287 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $615 | $1,332 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $674 | $1,549 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $737 | $2,083 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$47 | +$796 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Needles pays $737 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $47 a month from 2006–10, a 7% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. No other California city with 5,000+ people has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Needles
Bachelor's degrees in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 19.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 19.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 21.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 24.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Needles have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 11.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Needles has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of California cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 77.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.3% | 78.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 80.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.6% | 82.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in six adults in Needles never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Riverside area. The share with a diploma is up 2.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Needles
| Period | Needles | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 14.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −4.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Needles: 15.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Needles compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needles | 2.23 | 50.8 | 11.3% | 45.8% | 34.5% | 1976 | $737 | 11.8% | 81.6% | 15.2% |
| Golden Shores | 1.50 | 67.1 | 7.8% | 38.8% | 31.1% | 1986 | $884 | 14.2% | 90.3% | 0.0% |
| Topock | 1.64 | 64.9 | 7.0% | 35.4% | 43.9% | 1986 | $825 | 21.1% | 88.0% | 0.2% |
| Essex | 2.42 | 44.7 | 24.0% | 53.3% | 41.4% | 1986 | $847 | 6.7% | 85.5% | 0.6% |
| Wikieup | 1.86 | 65.6 | 4.9% | 3.7% | 27.2% | 2001 | $932 | 19.3% | 92.9% | 1.4% |
| Del Rio | 2.19 | 67.2 | 1.9% | 8.8% | 13.7% | 2003 | $1,418 | 48.1% | 97.3% | 9.3% |
| Williamson | 2.16 | 64.3 | 2.1% | 7.6% | 6.8% | 1999 | $1,286 | 47.8% | 97.6% | 4.3% |
| Newberry Springs | 2.26 | 50.7 | 11.8% | 29.5% | 24.8% | 1983 | $942 | 10.6% | 84.8% | 33.5% |
| Chino Valley | 2.41 | 52.8 | 10.6% | 11.3% | 5.1% | 1999 | $1,408 | 23.0% | 90.7% | 5.0% |
| Perkinsville | 2.57 | 52.1 | 5.0% | 8.8% | 4.1% | 1998 | $904 | 26.9% | 93.5% | 0.0% |
| Forbing Park | 2.15 | 44.3 | 6.2% | 42.4% | 10.2% | 2001 | $1,772 | 29.8% | 95.8% | 1.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Elm Grove, WI · Dellwood, MO · Delmar, MD · Denair, CA · Denton, NC · Denver City, TX · Dequincy, LA · Derwood, MD · Eliot, ME · Deer Park, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Needles. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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