Kern County, California Demographics 2026
Kern County, California has a population of 915,075, the 11th most populous county in California. The median household income is $70,210 and the median home value is $338,300. The poverty rate is 19.1%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Kern County Quick Facts
How Kern County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 910,433 | 915,075 | +0.5% |
| Median household income | $67,660 | $70,210 | +3.8% |
| Median home value | $310,600 | $338,300 | +8.9% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 70 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Kern County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 411,986 | $80,540 | 16.3% | $371,700 |
| Delano | 51,679 | $67,010 | 16.0% | $301,900 |
| Oildale | 34,687 | $51,298 | 25.2% | $238,800 |
| East Niles | 28,532 | $55,124 | 28.7% | $251,500 |
| Ridgecrest | 28,225 | $89,250 | 12.5% | $253,900 |
| Wasco | 26,558 | $51,727 | 18.4% | $273,600 |
| Rosamond | 21,473 | $79,386 | 17.1% | $352,600 |
| Shafter | 21,193 | $71,215 | 20.7% | $335,800 |
| Arvin | 19,539 | $49,183 | 34.6% | $262,700 |
| Rosedale | 18,877 | $135,966 | 6.4% | $608,900 |
| California City | 14,414 | $60,113 | 22.8% | $278,000 |
| McFarland | 14,222 | $54,608 | 24.1% | $272,700 |
| Lamont | 13,164 | $37,217 | 35.4% | $220,700 |
| Tehachapi | 11,946 | $72,957 | 13.9% | $355,500 |
| East Bakersfield | 11,062 | $38,644 | 42.6% | $208,700 |
| Hillcrest | 10,511 | $46,285 | 31.4% | $272,700 |
| Potomac Park | 10,138 | $51,166 | 20.9% | $219,600 |
| Golden Hills | 9,891 | $95,669 | 17.5% | $410,300 |
| La Cresta | 8,389 | $49,605 | 20.3% | $262,000 |
| Taft | 7,125 | $72,772 | 16.9% | $252,600 |
| Bear Valley Springs | 5,912 | $120,481 | 4.6% | $496,200 |
| Benton Park | 5,707 | $49,717 | 37.0% | $240,600 |
| Mojave | 5,173 | $55,660 | 25.5% | $213,600 |
| Greenacres | 4,906 | $91,528 | 4.1% | $351,800 |
| Ford City | 4,162 | $47,214 | 36.6% | $207,800 |
| Lake Isabella | 4,059 | $26,661 | 40.7% | $132,900 |
| Greenfield | 3,939 | $74,185 | 12.1% | $247,400 |
| Old Stine | 3,760 | $54,292 | 26.0% | $235,400 |
| Cottonwood (Kern County) | 3,107 | $44,247 | 46.5% | $321,600 |
| South Taft | 2,939 | $43,039 | 35.0% | $184,600 |
| Stallion Springs | 2,937 | $87,321 | 5.0% | $432,500 |
| Pine Mountain Club | 2,838 | $69,375 | 10.3% | $394,600 |
| Rexland Acres | 2,760 | $56,078 | 25.4% | $200,200 |
| Boron | 2,698 | $53,170 | 35.5% | $148,600 |
| Weedpatch | 2,685 | $22,044 | 46.5% | $137,100 |
| Frazier Park | 2,681 | $47,930 | 22.2% | $371,600 |
| Wofford Heights | 2,656 | $38,686 | 20.9% | $206,300 |
| China Lake Acres | 2,594 | $68,594 | 21.9% | $160,300 |
| Edwards AFB | 2,500 | $91,250 | 9.5% | N/A |
| Weldon | 2,493 | $35,221 | 28.9% | $178,800 |
| Lost Hills | 1,926 | $45,976 | 24.3% | $187,500 |
| Bakersfield Country Club | 1,707 | $102,266 | 9.4% | $396,800 |
| Bodfish | 1,694 | $39,863 | 31.5% | $145,800 |
| Casa Loma | 1,587 | $43,403 | 30.8% | $256,100 |
| Fairfax | 1,423 | $30,417 | 36.4% | $244,400 |
| Taft Heights | 1,291 | $54,034 | 16.2% | $193,800 |
| Buttonwillow | 1,163 | $35,086 | 25.1% | $213,600 |
| Squirrel Mountain Valley | 1,108 | N/A | 2.1% | $375,600 |
| Maricopa | 984 | $39,120 | 22.4% | $155,500 |
| Stebbins | 967 | $68,029 | 23.2% | N/A |
| Inyokern | 912 | N/A | 22.5% | $292,900 |
| North Edwards | 903 | $45,568 | 27.1% | $172,700 |
| Kernville | 857 | $49,883 | 1.9% | $406,400 |
| Lakeside (Kern County) | 807 | $55,759 | 24.0% | N/A |
| Lebec | 797 | N/A | 17.4% | $422,400 |
| Lake of the Woods | 796 | $66,036 | 11.1% | $276,300 |
| Smith Corner | 718 | $48,281 | 24.8% | $115,800 |
| Dustin Acres | 656 | $87,788 | 1.4% | $246,800 |
| Fuller Acres | 619 | $49,861 | 28.4% | $143,800 |
| Mountain Mesa | 600 | $64,531 | 16.7% | $228,200 |
| Valley Acres | 595 | $135,820 | 4.5% | $315,100 |
| Keene | 469 | N/A | 0.0% | $520,800 |
| Edison | 449 | N/A | 52.6% | N/A |
| Ridgecrest Heights | 370 | $77,130 | 12.2% | $164,300 |
| Edmundson Acres | 349 | $47,500 | 27.2% | $241,700 |
| Olde Stockdale | 349 | $166,987 | 0.0% | $717,100 |
| Derby Acres | 335 | $47,000 | 27.5% | $230,000 |
| Di Giorgio | 301 | $36,250 | 26.3% | $54,200 |
| El Adobe | 253 | $51,447 | 0.0% | $278,900 |
| Onyx | 245 | $24,297 | 39.6% | N/A |
| Pumpkin Center | 220 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| Mountain Meadows | 190 | N/A | 11.6% | $574,200 |
| Goodmanville | 169 | $154,034 | 0.0% | N/A |
| Tupman | 157 | N/A | 40.1% | N/A |
| Mexican Colony | 148 | $54,375 | 47.3% | N/A |
| Mettler | 140 | $59,028 | 32.1% | $229,800 |
| Old River | 134 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| Cherokee Strip | 118 | N/A | 29.7% | N/A |
| Johannesburg | 86 | N/A | 33.7% | N/A |
| Woody | 74 | $93,750 | 10.8% | $284,100 |
| Fellows | 71 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| McKittrick | 67 | $87,955 | 22.4% | N/A |
| Choctaw Valley | 34 | $128,646 | 0.0% | $725,000 |
| Rivergrove | 28 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| Glennville | 23 | N/A | 26.1% | $216,700 |
| Randsburg | 19 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
| Alta Sierra (Kern County) | 12 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore California Rankings
Population Overview
Kern County is located in California with a total population of 915,075. It is the 11th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 87 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Kern County is 32.7 years. This is 14% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 28.6% of the population under 18, Kern County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Kern County is $70,210. This is 29% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.1%. This is 59% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 8.6%. This is 31% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $338,300. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 60.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 55.9%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Kern County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 56.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 29.6%. The Asian population (5.1%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.
Education
18.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 77.0%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Kern County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Kern County, California?
Kern County has a population of 915,075, making it the 11th most populous county in California.
What is the median income in Kern County?
The median household income in Kern County is $70,210 with a poverty rate of 19.1%.
How many cities are in Kern County, California?
Kern County contains 87 Census-designated places.