Kern
California

907K

Population

$64K

Median Income

$364K

Median Home

R+22

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$64K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate17.8%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate6.9%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$65,856

Federal Spending per Capita$1,766

Median Individual Earnings$36K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers29.1%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$62K

Avg Credit Score670

Work From Home %6.3%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1828.8%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households20.7%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms257

Income (20th Percentile)$26K

Income (80th Percentile)$130K

Income (95th Percentile)$232K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher15.3%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School23.4%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %8.0%

Dependency Ratio1.20

Medicare Spending / Person$2,166

SS Benefits / Person$2,335

Education Wage Premium2.73x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$65K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$94K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$34K

Public Assistance Recipients5.3%

Average Annual Wage$60K

Professional Services Concentration0.51x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$363K

This county

$790K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$352K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1786/mo

This county

$2300/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.96%

This county

0.71% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $2,712

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,483/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+2.0%

Home Value to Income Ratio4.0x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households15.9%

Homeownership Rate59.6%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

98.5%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

21.4%

Sold Above List Price

32.1%

Median Days to Close

30 days

Active Listings

2,727

New Listings / Month

826

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Average pace

37 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Balanced market

3.5 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

29.1%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 98.5% · Redfin 99.1%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy74.9 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating2.4 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity13.0%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index7.3 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score21

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score24

Dental Care Shortage Score23

Healthcare Shortage Score22.7

Healthcare Offices1,319

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)36.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)14.7%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)28.2%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)32.1%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)32.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians1,381

Nursing Home Rating1.8 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients625 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$14,848

Uninsured (under 65)8.6%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression22.6%

Education

Math Test Scores2.45 grade level

Reading Test Scores2.67 grade level

HS Diploma Holders132,185

Bachelor's Degree Holders43,359

HS Completion Rate76.6%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools139

Safety

Violent Crime Rate4.3 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate15.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate11.5 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate41.0 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities181

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)97th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)39.4 / 100K

Suicide Rate13.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale4.8

January Sunshine1.01

January Temperature1.21

Average Temp64°F

Avg High Temp76°F

Avg Low Temp51°F

Median AQIAQI 69

Good Air Days85 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days70 days/yr

Annual Precipitation11.7 in/yr

Avg Storm Events50.6 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$39K

Ozone Days217 days/yr

This county

national avg 50 days/yr

Drought Index (2022)-1.22

Heating Degree Days2,362 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days1,891 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)3,118 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)1,508 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year1.4

Avg Flood Events / Year39.4

Avg Hail Events / Year1.0

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year5.6

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)99 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)12 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations40 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)21.1 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

National Park Units1 unit

Historic Places (NRHP)26 properties

FAA-Registered Airports33 total

Airports (excl. heliports)27 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries8 breweries

Microbreweries3 microbreweries

Brewpubs4 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed265 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed71 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)370 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)251 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)24 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)37 ms

Households with 100Mbps+91.0%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet16.7%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)103 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations258 stations

DC Fast Chargers671 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers538

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers21,993 workers

Public Transit Commuters2,179 workers

Walk to Work3,116 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)10,897 workers

Bike Commuters0.2%

Walk to Work0.9%

Agriculture

Farms1,270 farms

Farmland1,349,694 acres

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden33.3%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers3.6 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities133

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout57.6%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)4.958

Nonprofit Organizations2,125

Veterans Share5.3%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults47.6%

Never-Married Adults38.6%

Divorced Adults9.0%

Religious Organizations233

Asian Population5.0%

Native American Population1.1%

Membership Associations4.2 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.51 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities12

Nursing & Care Facilities192

Grocery Stores272

Arts & Entertainment Venues45

Hotels & Lodging129

Recreation Businesses102

Professional Services Firms1,221

Veterinary Practices105

Real Estate Firms577

Museums8

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$82K

Avg Student Loan Balance$9K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate47.5%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.11%

Politics

R+22

2024 Presidential · California was D+20 statewide

vs California State

Income tax

13.3%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.96%0.71% state avg

Politics

R+22D+20

COL Index

County data142 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -9K

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.88x avg income)

Economic Mobility

42%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Kern County

Median home value: $364K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Kern

23ABC News Bakersfield · 4 hours ago

Kern County faces attorney shortage as California weighs expanding access to civil legal help

Kern County has just 0.9 attorneys per 1000 residents. California is weighing a rule to let trained …

Sacramento Bee · 14 hours ago

Update: Knight Fire burns 20 acres in Kern County

The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited …

South Kern Sol · 1 day ago

California Water Assistance Bill Heads To Governor Newsom

Share This. September 1, 2026 / Victoria Rodgers. California lawmakers have approved legislation tha…

23ABC News Bakersfield · 3 weeks ago

Kern County supervisors explore splitting California into two states

Kern County supervisors explore splitting California into two states ... BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) …

KBAK · 2 days ago

Tehachapi officials prepare for possible tropical system, recalling 2023 Hilary impacts

With another tropical system possibly heading toward Southern California, Kern County officials and …

Sacramento Bee · 12 hours ago

Update: Triangle Fire in Kern County is now fully contained

The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited …

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

KernCalifornia

Kern
California