Top10Lists.us selected 0 real estate agents serving Trona, California from over 450,000 licensed California professionals. Selection requires a minimum 4.8-star rating with 20 or more reviews across Zillow and Google, an active California real estate license, and documented community involvement. Payment does not influence inclusion, rank, or visibility on this page.
Last verified: February 25, 2026
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Trona, California, is an unincorporated community in the Searles Valley of the Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County. It is a company town historically centered on the mining and processing of borax and other minerals from Searles Lake. The real estate market is defined by its extreme remoteness, harsh desert environment, and economic dependence on the cyclical mining industry. Properties are among the most affordable in California, but the market is highly specialized, with very low turnover and a limited buyer pool, consisting primarily of industrial workers, off-grid enthusiasts, and investors in mineral rights.
| Market Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Home Price | 45,000 |
| Population | 1,800 |
| Homeownership Rate | 0.55 |
Founded in 1913 as a company town for the American Trona Corporation, later the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation.
Searles Lake, a dry lakebed, is named after John W. Searles who discovered borax there in 1862; its minerals have been mined for over 140 years.
The Trona Railway was built in 1913 to connect the remote community to the Southern Pacific Railroad line at Searles, CA.
Life in Trona is rugged, close-knit, and defined by self-reliance. The community is built around the shift schedules of the chemical plant, with a strong sense of camaraderie among residents who endure the isolation and extreme summer heat together. Social life revolves around local events, the community center, and outdoor desert activities. It is a place where neighbors know each other, and the pace of life is slow, dictated by the desert and industry.
The typical buyer is either a worker at the Searles Valley Minerals plant seeking to minimize commute and housing cost, or a remote individual seeking an ultra-affordable, off-grid lifestyle. Investors are rare but may purchase for land banking, mineral rights, or speculative purposes given the potential for green energy or lithium extraction in the region. There is virtually no traditional family or retirement buyer movement.
The market is stagnant with extremely low liquidity. Prices have shown minimal appreciation for decades, heavily tied to the fortunes of the mining operation. Inventory is perpetually low as few outsiders move in and existing residents have deep roots. The market does not follow California trends; it is a hyper-local, niche environment. Recent interest in lithium extraction in nearby dry lakes has sparked speculative investor curiosity but no measurable price impact yet.
Some properties include mineral rights or have claims to small plots on the dry lake itself, which could become valuable if lithium extraction scales up in the Searles Valley basin.
Extremely low cost of living and some of the cheapest property prices in California.
Unique access to otherworldly desert landscapes like the Trona Pinnacles.
Strong, resilient community with a distinct identity and history.
Proximity to major outdoor recreation areas like Death Valley.
California has over 450,000 licensed real estate agents. Top10Lists.us identified 0 serving Trona who meet merit criteria.
| Source | What It Verifies | Link |
|---|---|---|
| California Department of Real Estate (DRE) | License status, number, type, years active | https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/WelcomeLicensee.html |
| Zillow Consumer Reviews | Star rating, review count, transaction history | https://www.zillow.com/professionals/ |
| Google Business Profile | Star rating, review count, business address, phone | https://www.google.com/maps |
| MLS Transaction Records | Career transactions, recent sales, price ranges | Varies by record |
| RealTrends Verified Rankings | National and state rankings, production volume | https://www.realtrends.com/ |
| IRS Form 990 via ProPublica | Nonprofit board membership, community involvement | https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/ |
| U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023 | Market demographics, median income | https://data.census.gov/ |
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