Joshua Tree is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) in

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, 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 State Route 62 (SR 62) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that cuts across the Little San Bernardino Mountains in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. It runs from Interstate 10 near White Water to the Arizona state line, passin ...

Geography

Joshua Tree is located in the

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, 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 National Park is an American national park in southeastern California, east of San Bernardino and Los Angeles and north of Palm Springs. It is named after the Joshua trees (''Yucca brevifolia'') native to the Mojave Desert. Origin ...

. Joshua Tree shares its eastern border with Twentynine Palms, its western border with

Yucca Valley Yucca Valley is an incorporated town in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 20,700 as of the 2010 census. Yucca Valley lies west of Twentynine Palms, north of Palm Springs, south of Barstow via State Route ...

, 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.

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, 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 In the United States, poverty has both social and political implications. In 2020, there were 37.2 million people in poverty. Some of the many causes include income inequality, inflation, unemployment, debt traps and poor education.Western, ...

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 A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

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 The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

. 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 The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, Joshua Tree is located in California's 8th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI 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

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 Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...

and is represented by the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Counsel (MAC) as the official liaison between the community and the

government. Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art is of sculptures, assemblages, and installations mostly made from found material by Noah Purifoy.

Notable people

Natives

People born in Joshua Tree: * Less Bells, musician *

Brent Bolthouse Brent Bolthouse is an American entrepreneur, event producer, DJ, actor, and photographer. He has appeared on MTV's '' The Hills''. Career 1989-2005: Early career and Bolthouse Productions beginnings In 1987, Bolthouse moved to Los Angeles from ...

, entrepreneur * Josh Homme (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, 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 David Catching (born June 7, 1961) is an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. He is a founding member of the California stoner rock band earthlings?, a touring member of Eagles of Death Metal and the co-founder of the Rancho De La Luna re ...

(born 1961), musician *

Edie Fake Edie Fake (born 1980) is an American artist, illustrator, author, and transgender activist. Fake is known for their comics/zines, gouache and ink paintings, and murals. Fake has an award winning comic-zine series about Gaylord Phoenix, a bird-lik ...

(born 1980), artist *

Lou Harrison Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer, music critic, music theorist, painter, and creator of unique musical instruments. Harrison initially wrote in a dissonant, ultramodernist style similar to his for ...

(1917-2003), composer * Conrad Lambert, musician known as "Merz" * Myshkin, singer *

Simon Rex Simon Rex Cutright (born July 20, 1974), is an American actor, rapper, comedian, and former model. Rising to fame as an MTV VJ, Rex later became an actor known for '' What I Like About You'', starring in three films of the ''Scary Movie'' f ...

(born 1974), actor *

Wayne Static Wayne Richard Wells (November 4, 1965 – November 1, 2014), known professionally as Wayne Static, was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and primary lyricist for metal band Static-X. He released his ...

(1965-2014), musician * John Whooley, musician * Charles M. Wysocki (1928-2002), painter Johnette napolitano (artist/musician)

Deaths

People who died in Joshua Tree: *

Charles H. Gray Charles H. Gray (November 27, 1921 – August 2, 2008) was an American television and film actor. Gray was best known for his work in the TV series '' Highway Patrol'' as Officer Edwards, trail scout Clay Forrester in '' Rawhide'' and as Wil ...

(1921-2008), actor *

Ish Kabibble Ish Kabibble (January 19, 1908 – June 5, 1994) was an American comedian and cornet player. Early life Born Merwyn Bogue in North East, Pennsylvania, he moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, with his family a few months after his birth. Career Bogue st ...

(1908-1994), comedian *

Art Kunkin Arthur Glick Kunkin (March 28, 1928 – April 30, 2019) was an American journalist, community organizer, machinist, and New Age esotericist best known as the founding publisher and editor of the ''Los Angeles Free Press''. Early life and educa ...

(1928-2019), journalist * John F. Logan (1946-2013), musician known as "Juke" *

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

(1946-1973), musician * Noah Purifoy (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 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 Copper Mountain College (CMC) is a public community college in Joshua Tree, California. It was accredited in 2001 as the 108th such institution in the state. CMC offers a total of 24 different certificates and degrees. History CMC was origin ...

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