At a Glance
Median Income
$39,876
$29,587 per capita
Home Value
$134,400
Zillow: $185,990
Median Rent
$742/mo
35.7% of income on rent
Violent Crime
1,420/100K
3,479/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
9.2%
78.3% high school+
Unemployment
5.1%
25.1% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
38.3%
21.9% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
76°F
330 sunny days/yr
How Needles Compares to the U.S. Average
Each bar shows Needles's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)
Is Needles a Good Place to Live?
C+
2.5 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.
Economy & Jobs
Needles residents earn a median household income of $39,876 , which is 47% below the national average of $75,149.
Per capita income is $29,587. The unemployment rate stands at 5.1% (42% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 25.1% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 5,056 business establishments, including 451 restaurants.
Housing & Cost of Living
The median home value in Needles is $134,400 , 52% below the national median of $281,900.
Zillow estimates the typical home at $185,990. Median rent is $742/month, with 35.7% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1978.
Safety & Crime
Needles reports 1,420 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
, which is 274% above the national average of 380/100K.
Property crime is 3,479/100K. The murder rate is 20.0/100K.
Education
9.2% of adults in Needles hold a bachelor's degree or higher
(73% below the national average).
78.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.7/10 in standardized testing.
Climate & Weather
Needles has an average annual temperature of 76°F (25°C).
Winters average 56°F in January while summers reach 99°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 4.3 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.
Data Overview
People
Population4,882
Median Age49.6 yrs
Density160/mi²
Male / Female51% / 49%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans9.6%
Economy
C
Median Income$39,876
Per Capita$29,587
Unemployment5.1%
Poverty25.1%
County GDP$9,482M
Avg Weekly Wage$985
Housing
A+
Home Value$134,400
Rent$742
Ownership54.8%
Zillow$185,990
Housing Units2,761
Rent Burden35.7%
Crime
F
Violent1,420/100K
Property3,479/100K
Murder20.0/100K
Assault1,200/100K
Burglary1,320/100K
Health
Obesity38.3%
Diabetes13.4%
Smoking21.9%
Heart Disease7.8%
Premature Death13,413/100K
Climate
Avg Temp76°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain4.3 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation774 ft
Education
D
Bachelor's+9.2%
High School+78.3%
Graduate+2.7%
School Score4.7/10
Community
2024 VoteR 78% / D 22%
Commute19 min
Broadband90.1%
Internet Speed47 Mbps
EV Stations5
Libraries14
Did You Know?
The median home in Needles was built in 1978.
The nearest airport is Laughlin/Bullhead International (24 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.462 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
35.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 451 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 61 fatal vehicle crashes.
182 declared natural disasters on record.