The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 92309 sells for about $250,000, or $185 per square foot.
Prices are up +2.1% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 95 days to sell, which is slow. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $877 a month.
ZIP 92309 — Baker
The housing market in 92309 is characterized by low volume and limited inventory, reflecting its remote desert location. Prices remain stable with minimal year-over-year growth, driven by the area's role as a transit stop rather than a residential hub. Market activity is largely stagnant due to the lack of new development and the specialized nature of the local economy.
This ZIP is best suited for those seeking extreme affordability or remote living, particularly workers in the logistics or tourism industries who prioritize proximity to the I-15 corridor over urban amenities.
Median prices moved up 2.1% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 95 days on market with 6.0 months of supply — a slower-moving market.
15% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 96.5% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 0.0% · poverty 28.1% — a mixed stability profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 6.2%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.3%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
net outflow — more people moved out than in
ZCTA 92309, San Bernardino County, CA
Crime data for the remote desert community of Baker is not determinable at a granular level, though it generally reflects low-density rural patterns typical of San Bernardino County's high desert.
The area is served by the Baker Valley Unified School District, which provides essential K-12 education for the small local population.
The region faces significant wildfire and extreme heat risks common to the Mojave Desert, with insurance availability increasingly constrained by statewide wildfire exposure mandates.
Economic momentum is primarily driven by tourism and logistics traffic along the I-15 corridor between Southern California and Las Vegas, with limited residential development.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (California) — Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act Special Parcel Tax Assessment: Levies an annual direct, non-ad valorem special tax directly on the parcel's secured property tax bill to fund designated community infrastructure (e.g., roads, sewer facilities, school facilities, emergency services) and repay municipal debt bonds. State (California) — California Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption: Reduces the taxable assessed value of the qualifying owner-occupied principal residence by $7,000 against the county assessment roll, generating a direct tax savings of approximately $70 annually (computed as $7,000 × 1% base rate). State (California) — California Proposition 13 Ad Valorem Real Property Tax: Establishes a base ad valorem tax rate capped at 1.0% of assessed value plus voter-approved local indebtedness and direct assessments (typically resulting in an effective tax rate of 1.1% to 1.25%).
Commuting is heavily reliant on personal vehicles via I-15, with the nearest major employment hubs located in Barstow or the Inland Empire, both requiring significant drive times.
The area serves as a gateway to the Mojave National Preserve and Death Valley National Park, offering extensive outdoor recreation, though local amenities like shopping and dining are sparse.
The rental market is extremely thin, primarily serving transient workers in the tourism and logistics sectors with very low inventory turnover.
The local economy is anchored by the tourism, hospitality, and logistics sectors, heavily dependent on travelers moving between Southern California and Las Vegas.
Transportation is almost exclusively via I-15; there is no public transit infrastructure serving this remote desert location.
There are no major residential or commercial developments currently approved or under construction within the ZIP code.
The San Bernardino County Assessor manages property valuations, adhering to state-mandated assessment cycles and Proposition 13 tax caps.
Parcels are subject to standard county property taxes and local school district levies; there are no significant MUD or PID districts.
Property insurance is difficult to secure and expensive due to high wildfire risk ratings and the remote location of the properties.
California is a non-judicial foreclosure state, providing lenders with a streamlined process for property recovery following default.
California requires comprehensive seller disclosures regarding property condition, natural hazards, and environmental risks.
Data retrieved from data.census.gov ZCTA 92309 profile.
- The World's Tallest Thermometer4.415.4 mi
Theme parks, venues, golf, airports, museums, water and shopping across the area from Google Maps, ranked by popularity within the radius shown.
Expansive desert wilderness area accessible from Baker.
Iconic roadside attraction serving as a local landmark.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.