Joshua Tree is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census. At approximately above sea level, Joshua Tree and its surrounding communities are located in the High Desert of California. The center of the business district in Joshua Tree is on California State Route 62.

Geography

Joshua Tree is located in the Mojave Desert at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total land area of 95.9 km (37.0 mi²). Joshua Tree is home to Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree shares its eastern border with

Twentynine Palms Twentynine Palms (also known as 29 Palms) is a city in San Bernardino County, California. Twentynine Palms serves as one of the entry points to Joshua Tree National Park. History Twentynine Palms was named for the palm trees found there in ...

, its western border with Yucca Valley, and its northwestern border with

Landers Landers may refer to: People * Landers (surname), a list of people surnamed Landers (including fictional people) Places * Landers, California, United States * Landers Peaks, group of peaks in the northern portion of Alexander Island, Antarct ...

; it is bordered on the south by the

Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacint ...

Demographics

2010

At the 2010 census Joshua Tree had a population of 7,414. The population density was . The racial makeup of Joshua Tree was 6,176 (83.3%) White (73.9% Non-Hispanic White), 234 (3.2%) African American, 84 (1.1%) Native American, 104 (1.4%) Asian, 18 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 368 (5.0%) from other races, and 430 (5.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,308 persons (17.6%). The census reported that 7,263 people (98.0% of the population) lived in households, 30 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 121 (1.6%) were institutionalized. There were 3,088 households, 862 (27.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,209 (39.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 431 (14.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 162 (5.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 237 (7.7%)

unmarried opposite-sex partnerships POSSLQ ( , plural POSSLQs) is an abbreviation (or acronym) for "Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters", a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of ...

, and 30 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,018 households (33.0%) were one person and 358 (11.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35. There were 1,802 families (58.4% of households); the average family size was 2.97. The age distribution was 1,626 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 813 people (11.0%) aged 18 to 24, 1,756 people (23.7%) aged 25 to 44, 2,056 people (27.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,163 people (15.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males. There were 3,808 housing units at an average density of 102.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,872 (60.6%) were owner-occupied and 1,216 (39.4%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.8%. 4,178 people (56.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,085 people (41.6%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2010 United States Census, Joshua Tree had a median household income of $39,492, with 21.8% of the population living below the federal poverty line. JoshuaTree 20150911

2000

At the 2000 census there were 4,207 people, 1,765 households, and 1,057 families in the CDP. The population density was 265.4/km (687.5/mi²). There were 2,112 housing units at an average density of 133.2/km (345.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.38% White, 1.76% African American, 1.57% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.62% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from other races, and 3.95% from two or more races. 12.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,765 households 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.3% of households were one person and 15.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. The age distribution was 27.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males. The median household income was $26,535 and the median family income was $33,333. Males had a median income of $27,465 versus $29,375 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $13,856. 21.2% of the population and 18.0% of families were below the poverty line. 31.5% of those under the age of 18 and 5.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Government

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...

, Joshua Tree is in , and in . In the United States House of Representatives, Joshua Tree is located in

California's 8th congressional district California's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2021, Republican Jay Obernolte represents the district. Currently, the 8th district encompasses most of the eastern desert regions of t ...

, which has a

Cook PVI The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated Cook PVI, CPVI, or PVI, is a measurement of how strongly a United States congressional district or U.S. state leans toward the Democratic or Republican Party, compared to the nation as a whole, based ...

of R+10 and is represented by . Joshua Tree is represented by San Bernardino County 3rd District Supervisor James Ramos – 2012.

Attractions

The Joshua Tree Visitor Center for Joshua Tree National Park is located at the junction of Highway 62 and Park Boulevard in downtown Joshua Tree and the park's west entrance is located south. The community of Joshua Tree is unincorporated and is represented by the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Counsel (MAC) as the official liaison between the community and the San Bernardino County government. Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art is of sculptures, assemblages, and installations mostly made from found material by

Noah Purifoy Noah S. Purifoy (August 17, 1917 – March 5, 2004) was an African-American visual artist and sculptor, co-founder of the Watts Towers Art Center, and creator of the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum. He lived and worked most of his life in ...

Notable people

Natives

People born in Joshua Tree: *

Less Bells Less Bells is the stage name of Julie Carpenter, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from Joshua Tree, California. Prior to starting the Less Bells project, Carpenter worked with (performed, recorded, and/or composed) with The Autumns, Eels, Kenn ...

, musician * Brent Bolthouse, entrepreneur *

Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he form ...

(born 1973), musician *

Phillip Carl Jablonski Phillip Carl Jablonski (January 3, 1946 – December 27, 2019) was an American serial killer convicted of killing five women in California and Utah between 1978 and 1991. Early life Jablonski's alcoholic father beat and sexually abused his w ...

(1946-2019), serial killer

Inhabitants

People who live/lived in Joshua Tree: * Alma Allen (born 1970), sculptor *

Tara Beier Tara Beier (née Browne) is a Canadian-American singer- songwriter. Her music has been often described as a blend of folk, alternative, country, and pop. Early life Beier was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her father is from the Phi ...

, singer *

Marjorie Cameron Marjorie Cameron Parsons Kimmel (April 23, 1922 – June 24, 1995), who professionally used the mononym Cameron, was an American artist, poet, actress and occultist. A follower of Thelema, the new religious movement established by the Engli ...

(1922-1995), actress *

Joey Castillo Joseph William Castillo (born March 30, 1966) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the drummer of the hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age from 2002 to 2012. He is currently a member of Circle Jerks, The Bronx an ...

(born 1966), musician * Dave Catching (born 1961), musician * Edie Fake (born 1980), artist * Lou Harrison (1917-2003), composer * Conrad Lambert, musician known as "Merz" * Myshkin, singer * Simon Rex (born 1974), actor * Wayne Static (1965-2014), musician *

John Whooley John Whooley, now John Whoolilurie, is a California-based musician best known for playing the saxophone and other instruments with the band Estradasphere. In addition to performing, he also composed much of the band's music until he left the band ...

, musician * Charles M. Wysocki (1928-2002), painter Johnette napolitano (artist/musician)

Deaths

People who died in Joshua Tree: * Charles H. Gray (1921-2008), actor * Ish Kabibble (1908-1994), comedian * Art Kunkin (1928-2019), journalist * John F. Logan (1946-2013), musician known as "Juke" * Gram Parsons (1946-1973), musician *

(1917-2004), artist *

Tera Wray Tera Wray (born Tera Elizabeth Lents; April 14, 1982 – January 13, 2016) was an American pornographic actress. In his biography of Wray, performing arts researcher Harris M. Lentz III referred to her as "a star of alternative pornography". Ear ...

(1982-2016), pornographic actress

Gallery

File:Joshua_Tree_Welcome_Sign.jpg, Joshua Tree Welcome sign off Highway 62 File:Joshua Tree CA 20170907.jpg, Southward view of Joshua Tree Town Center in front of the mountains of Joshua Tree National Park File:Twenty-Nine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree, CA.jpg, Southwesterly view of the

San Bernardino Mountains The San Bernardino Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in Southern California in the United States. Situated north and northeast of San Bernardino and spanning two California counties, the range tops out at at San Gorgonio Mountain � ...

from Twenty-Nine Palms Highway (CA Route 62) File:Joshua_Tree_Downtown_2017.jpg, Downtown Joshua Tree looking southwest File:Joshua Tree Visitor Center - 12.jpg, Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center File:JTCA RetreatCtr2 20140905.jpg, Southwesterly view of the Joshua Tree Retreat Center File:Copper Mountain College 2016.jpg, Copper Mountain College File:JTCA 2 20140905.jpg, Backcountry road off of Olympic Road in Joshua Tree

Climate

References

External links

Joshua Tree: The Complete GuideThe Joshua Tree Visitors Guide
{{authority control Census-designated places in San Bernardino County, California Populated places in the Mojave Desert Census-designated places in California