Sleepy desert town about to boom with freight jobs
Around 32 miles north of Victorville, and surrounded by Mojave Desert scenery, Barstow is a small city offering area-affordability and exciting developments in the freight industry. “We’re playing a pivotal role in the transportation industry, particularly with the coming Barstow International Gateway (BIG) that’s projected to revolutionize freight logistics in Southern California and bring thousands of jobs to the area,” says Miriam Munoz, the public information officer for the City of Barstow.
With the famous Route 66 forming its Main Street, Barstow was once a thriving community in the 1970s, attracting many with its location on major roadways. Since then, growth has slowed down as nearby Victorville has risen to prominence, and residents now anticipate what’s to come from BIG. “We're seeing a lot of truckers moving up this way in anticipation of the Gateway Project,” explains Diane Flores, a Barstow resident and Broker with Dee-Lux Realty. “They're looking for the land, the home and a place to park their truck, and they're finding it here. Too often people underestimated this community, but now everyone's trying to get their hands on what Barstow's going to be."
Barstow proudly sits along the historic Route 66.
Barstow International Gateway (BIG) that’s projected to revolutionize freight logistics in Southern California and bring thousands of jobs to the area.
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Low housing prices in the Victor Valley
As of early 2025, Barstow’s median home price is roughly $280,000, lower than nearby Victorville’s median of $440,000 and the national median of $410,000. Prices in Barstow have risen dramatically following the Covid pandemic, growing 66% between 2020 and 2025. Most properties are single-family ranch-style homes with Spanish Revival features, including stucco exteriors and terracotta roofs. Prices for these homes generally range from $150,000 to $400,000, depending on their size and state of renovation. There are also a handful of mobile home communities; mobile homes here can range from $15,000 to $50,000, depending on the number of bedrooms.
Barstow showcases the architectural elegance of Spanish Revival homes.
In Barstow, you'll find traditional single-family ranch homes surrounded by serene desert.
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Barstow Unified School District and Community College
Barstow Unified School District earns a C from Niche and serves students from kindergarten through Grade 12. Barstow High School scores a B-minus and is known for its strong athletics and culinary arts programs; in 2024, the Boys Basketball team won the Kiwanis Varsity Tournament, and the Culinary Arts team won the Sweet Genius competition. Students can continue to Barstow Community College, which offers over 40 programs in the arts, sciences and trades.
The entrance of Barstow High School welcomes students, and visitors with an inviting gateway.
Students can continue to Barstow Community College, which offers over 40 programs in the arts, sciences and trades.
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Off-roading adventures and parks near Barstow
Surrounded by desert scenery, Barstow offers ample space for outdoor excursions. "Barstow is the best place to be if you love using all your desert toys such as Razors, motorcycles, and camping," says Flores. "Camping by the Outlets and Calico Ghost Town is very popular for travelers and the locals here." Slash X Ranch offers over 50,000 acres of off-highway vehicle space, and Mule Canyon by Calico takes riders past unique rock formations and abandoned mining caverns.
Barstow is also home to 13 parks and community centers, including public swimming pools, sports parks and athletics facilities. Many community parks serve as events spaces throughout the year, like Dana Park when it hosts the annual Earth Day Farmers Market in April.
Dana Park's skate park is a local favorite place to practice some extreme sports in Barstow.
Calico Ghost Town is an old West mining town that has been around since 1881 and was abandoned in the mid-1890s after silver lost its value and is now a regional park near Barstow.
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Old Main Street, new outlets
Route 66 forms Barstow’s Main Street, and although many of the original businesses that once stood here have left over time, small-scale eateries and retailers add a splash of life to the town. Folks can grab a slice of pizza at the kitschy Route 66 Pizza Palace, enjoy ice cream at Fosters Freeze or visit the first-ever Del Taco.
Much of the shopping and dining in Barstow has moved to newer outlet malls and shopping plazas on the outskirts of the city. Just off Interstate 15, the Outlets of Barstow offer 34 name-brand stores. On the Interstate 40 corridor, Center on Main is home to a handful of retailers and restaurants and a Walmart Supercenter. Many residents also head 37 miles south to shop at the Mall of Victor Valley in Victorville.
You'll find high end brands like Coach at the Tanger Outlets at Barstow.
Fosters Freeze is longtime California-based fast-food chain serving burgers & soft-serve ice cream located in Barstow.
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Barstow International Gateway Project
BNSF Railway is currently constructing the Barstow International Gateway Project, a $1.5 billion railway facility. Expected to be completed by 2028 before the Olympics come to Los Angeles, the Barstow International Gateway will span 4,500 acres on the remote western edge of the city and feature rail facilities and warehouses for transporting freight. The project is expected to bring thousands of jobs to the area and lower the heavy traffic caused by the freight industry in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. “It’s something we’re really excited about, because it will help make Barstow what it was always meant to be,” Flores says.
Barstow International Gateway will span 4,500 acres on the remote western edge of the city and feature rail facilities and warehouses for transporting freight.
BNSF Railway is currently constructing the Barstow International Gateway Project, a $1.5 billion railway facility.
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Riding on Route 66, Interstate 15 and Interstate 40
Interstate 15 merges with Interstate 40 in Barstow and leads 32 miles south to Victorville, the largest city in Victor Valley. The famous Route 66 also runs through Barstow, connecting the city to Los Angeles and Chicago. Victor Valley Transit Authority offers four bus routes between Barstow and Victorville, and the old Harvey House Railroad Depot is serviced by Amtrak. Barstow Community Hospital is in the city's center, and San Bernardino International Airport is 74 miles south.
High yet declining crime rates
According to FBI data from 2023, Barstow’s property and violent crime rates are significantly higher than national and state averages, but they’ve been declining in recent years. After reaching record highs for criminal activity in 2016, total crime in Barstow has decreased by 41%. The Barstow Police Department began implementing new policing strategies and programs in 2022 to further reduce crime, including an expansion of the Crime Impact Team and new community-building events like Coffee with a Cop.
As a resident of Los Angeles area since 1988, Tom went to all the local schools, grew up in the local areas, currently resides and lives in the Los Angeles area and graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s in marketing from Cal State Fullerton. So he knows the local markets as well as anyone else and better than most when it comes to the areas he covers & services.
Tom’s philosophy is simple... treat everyone as if they were close family/friends AND treat every house he sells as if it was his own house!
Tom has been described and have a reputation for being one of the most professional, honest and ethical Realtors who always puts the needs and overall experience of his clients above any sale or transaction. His goal is to turn a single transaction into a lifelong friendship & business relationship. Which means the close of escrow is the end of the transaction but only the start of his service to you for any & all questions, concerns and needs as a home owner.
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