Needles, CA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Needles is a city in San Bernardino County, in the Mojave Desert region of Southern California. Situated on the western banks of the Colorado River, Needles is located near the California border with Arizona and Nevada. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95. The population was 4,931 at the 2020 census, up from 4,844 at the 2010 census.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Needles ranks

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#1Cheapest rent in CA #6Most affordable in CA #8Lowest property tax in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code92363

Area codeSign in to add

Living in Needles

Housing in Needles

$187K▼ 2.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Needles home is worth about $187,000, down 2.6% in a year, 75% below the California typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market12

Sale-to-list95.8%

Sold in May5

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Needles

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Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Needles's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Needles 11

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Needles 16.8

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Needles

Compared with California

1better than CA·24worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 7 are too close to call.

Conditions 12▼ 0 close Habits 3▼ 1 close Care 1▲ 2▼ 4 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

75.2%More adults treating high blood pressureCA 71.3% · better 12.4%More adults with COPDCA 5.1% · worse

Care nearby

Colorado River Medical CenterNeedles · 1.4 mi · ER · rural critical access

Tri-State Community Healthcare CenterNeedles · 1.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Needles · CMS · HRSAHealth in Needles →

Schools in Needles

All Needles schools →

C

School Grade C

The public schools Needles’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 69% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Needles’s schools compare in CA →

DistrictNeedles UnifiedSchools7

Vista Colorado ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 319 students Needles SDA SchoolElementary · Grades K–8 · 9 students Needles Middle CMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 196 students Needles High C-High · Grades 9–12 · 269 students Needles Community DayHigh · Grades 6–12 · 18 students Educational Training CenterHigh · Grades 9–12 · 9 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from NeedlesWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Needles.Meet them →

Where Needles is

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Locator map of Needles — Wikimedia Commons · Map: Arkyan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Location map

California · CATown boundary on OpenStreetMap →

Nearby towns

Bullhead City22 mi Lake Havasu City28 mi Kingman45 mi

How things work in Needles

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