Johannesburg

Featured view

Johannesburg

Total population

86

Median home value

$0

33.7%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$0

Elevation1072 m

Land area6.25 km²

Weather62°F · Clear

Coordinates35.37°, -117.64°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

City facts

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Johannesburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, in a mining district of the Rand Mountains. Johannesburg is located 1 mile (1.6 km) east-northeast of Randsburg, at an elevation of 3,517 feet (1,072 m). The terminus of the Randsburg Railway was here from 1897 to 1933. The population was 113 at the 2020 census, down from 172 at the 2010 census. Johannesburg is divided from the neighboring community of Randsburg by a ridge. The town is frequently referred to as "Joburg" by locals and frequent visitors to the northwest Mojave Desert.

History & geography

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Current forecast

Forecast for Johannesburg, CA from NOAA NWS API.

Nearby places in California

• China Lake Acres
  19.8 mi away
• California City
  20.2 mi away
• Boron
  24.4 mi away
• Edwards AFB
  36.1 mi away
• Barstow
  48.6 mi away · pop. 25,415
• Bodfish
  49.5 mi away
• Alta Sierra
  56.4 mi away
• Bear Valley Springs
  59.5 mi away
• Desert View Highlands
  61.3 mi away
• Darwin
  62 mi away
• Apple Valley
  62.9 mi away
• California Hot Springs
  67.1 mi away

Browse all places in California →

Geography & sun

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Public attention

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Johannesburg

Have you heard from Johannesburg?.

2007

Sudoku Genius Mind Exercises Volume 1

State of Mind Collection · 2019

Private

James Patterson · 2008

Evil paradises

Mike Davis · 2007

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

• CANYON Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-07 · 15 mi
• NEURALIA Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-13 · 22 mi
• WYLY Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-06-13 · 56 mi
• RIVER Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-18 · 65 mi
• TOWER Wildfire, Kern, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-03 · 65 mi
• BAIN Wildfire, Riverside, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-19 · 97 mi
• SANDY Wildfire, Ventura, California
  Wildfires · 2026-05-18 · 100 mi
• SHORE Wildfire, Riverside, California
  Wildfires · 2026-06-15 · 101 mi

Wildfires, storms and other events from NASA EONET (last 12 months, within 250 mi).

Recently spotted species

Western Whiptail

Aspidoscelis tigris

Seen 2026-06-16

Sacred Datura

Datura wrightii

Seen 2026-06-08

Desert Woollystar

Eriastrum eremicum

Seen 2026-06-01

Rose and White Buckwheat

Eriogonum gracillimum

Seen 2026-06-01

Flatspine Bursage

Ambrosia acanthicarpa

Seen 2026-06-01

Creosote Bush

Larrea tridentata

Seen 2026-06-01

American Barn Owl

Tyto furcata

Seen 2026-05-27

Mojave Desert Tortoise

Gopherus agassizii

Seen 2026-05-16

California King Snake

Lampropeltis californiae

Seen 2026-05-13

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Gallery

Geotagged photos within ~6 miles of Johannesburg, from Wikimedia Commons contributors.

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Photos via Wikimedia Commons — see each image page for license & attribution.