Kern County, CA

County

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2023 Population

910,433

0.391% 1-year growth

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

32.4

0.621% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

19%

1.27% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$67,660

5.91% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$310,600

9.83% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

362,655

1.03% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Kern County, CA had a population of 910k people with a median age of 32.4 and a median household income of $67,660. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Kern County, CA grew from 906,883 to 910,433, a 0.391% increase and its median household income grew from $63,883 to $67,660, a 5.91% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kern County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (30.7%), White (Hispanic) (18.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (18.3%), Other (Hispanic) (17.4%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.89%).

None of the households in Kern County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

88.3% of the residents in Kern County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kern County, CA are Bakersfield College (7,937 degrees awarded in 2022), California State University-Bakersfield (2,834 degrees), and Cerro Coso Community College (1,001 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Kern County, CA was $310,600, and the homeownership rate was 59.8%.

Most people in Kern County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Kern County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Kern County, CA borders Inyo County, CA, Kings County, CA, Los Angeles County, CA, San Bernardino County, CA, San Luis Obispo County, CA, Santa Barbara County, CA, Tulare County, CA, and Ventura County, CA.

About the photo: Tejon Pass - Tehachapi Mountains in Grapevine, CA

Photo by Jeff Turner

United States California Bakersfield, CA

Population & Diversity

Kern County, CA is home to a population of 910k people, from which 88.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 19.7% of Kern County, CA residents were born outside of the country (180k people).

In 2023, there were 1.65 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (279k people) in Kern County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 169k White (Hispanic) and 167k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88.3%

2023 Citizenship

88.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 88.3% of Kern County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Kern County, CA was 88.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kern County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kern County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
279k ± 1.46k
White (Hispanic)
169k ± 5.94k
Two+ (Hispanic)
167k ± 5.25k

55.7%

Hispanic Population

507k people

55.7% of the people in Kern County, CA are hispanic (507k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Kern County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

19.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

180k people

19.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

179k people

As of 2023, 19.7% of Kern County, CA residents (180k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kern County, CA was 19.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kern County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
10,193 ± 689
Gulf War (2001-)
9,492 ± 1,010
Gulf War (1990s)
4,697 ± 575

Kern County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.07 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Kern County, CA employs 363k people. The largest industries in Kern County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (44,593 people), Retail Trade (39,473 people), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (38,556 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($98,326), Public Administration ($83,574), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($80,472).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

363k

2023 Value

± 5,597

1.03%

1 Year growth

± 2.19%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kern County, CA grew at a rate of 1.03%, from 359k employees to 363k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kern County, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,590 people), Sales & Related Occupations (30,449 people), and Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (28,573 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kern County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

363k

2023 Value

± 5,597

1.03%

1 Year growth

± 2.19%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kern County, CA grew at a rate of 1.03%, from 359k employees to 363k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kern County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (44,593 people), Retail Trade (39,473 people), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (38,556 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kern County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Kern County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,853

Median earning men ± $1,042

$31,377

Median earning women ± $655

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($101,441), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,240), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($54,657).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($53,564), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,828), and Wholesale Trade ($40,202).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

856
Health Care and Social Assistance
838
Transportation and Warehousing
828
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.16M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.2M
Retail Trade
$1.03M
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kern County, CA went to Donald J. Trump with 53.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.29%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (53.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.7%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.29%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kern County, CA went to Donald J. Trump with 53.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.29%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kern County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Kern County, CA awarded 13,998 degrees. The student population of Kern County, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 20,603 male students and 28,529 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kern County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (8,421 and 60.6%), followed by White (2,897 and 20.9%), Unknown (837 and 6.03%), and Asian (688 and 4.95%).

The largest universities in Kern County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Bakersfield College (7,937 and 56.7%), California State University-Bakersfield (2,834 and 20.2%), and Cerro Coso Community College (1,001 and 7.15%).

The most popular majors in Kern County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (5,152 and 36.8%), General Psychology (784 and 5.6%), and General Business Administration & Management (762 and 5.44%).

The median tuition cost in Kern County, CA for a public four year colleges is $3,561 for in-state students and $13,566 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Kern County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 9.25%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 49,132 (41.9% men and 58.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 49,132 students enrolled in Kern County, CA, 41.9% men and 58.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 32,199 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
2,789 degrees awarded
General Psychology
490 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
378 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Kern County, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 2,789 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Kern County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Bakersfield College
7,937 degrees awarded
California State University-Bakersfield
2,834 degrees awarded
Cerro Coso Community College
1,001 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bakersfield College with 7,937 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 5,014 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kern County, CA, which is 0.558 times less than the 8,984 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 8,421 degrees mean that there were 2.91 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 2,897 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,030) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($18,007) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,196) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kern County, CA was $310,600 in 2023, which is 1.02 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $282,800 to $310,600, a 9.83% increase. The homeownership rate in Kern County, CA is 59.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Kern County, CA have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kern County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Kern County, CA is $67,660. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Kern County, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $172,083, followed by Census Tract 38.10 and Census Tract 38.06, with respective values of $126,458 and $126,324.

In 2023, 24.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

Housing

Property

$310,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,299

$168,321

Median Property Taxes

±$3,305

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kern County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kern County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

59.8%

Homeownership

2023

66.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 59.8% of the housing units in Kern County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 59.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kern County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 28.11
Census Tract 38.10
Census Tract 38.06

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kern County, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $172,083, followed by Census Tract 38.10 and Census Tract 38.06, with respective values of $126,458 and $126,324.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Kern County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$67,660

Median Household Income

± $1,400

281k

Number of Households

± 4,571

In 2023, the median household income of the 281k households in Kern County, CA grew to $67,660 from the previous year's value of $63,883.

The following chart displays the households in Kern County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kern County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.2%)
Carpooled (11.5%)
Worked At Home (6.63%)

In 2023, 79.2% of workers in Kern County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.5%) and those who worked at home (6.63%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kern County, CA have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.54% of the workforce in Kern County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kern County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kern County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kern County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 24.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

19% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kern County, CA (169k out of 886k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kern County, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 25.3% of the children was living in poverty in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.2% of the population of Kern County, CA has health coverage, with 37.7% on employee plans, 35.6% on Medicaid, 7.94% on Medicare, 9.62% on non-group plans, and 1.3% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see 2021 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2023 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1965 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,021 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kern County, CA

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see an average of 2,021 patients per year. This represents a 0.0989% decrease from the previous year (2,023 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kern County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.1% under 18 years, 22.9% between 18 and 34 years, 34.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.85%

Uninsured

37.7%

Employer Coverage

35.6%

Medicaid

7.94%

Medicare

9.62%

Non-Group

1.3%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kern County, CA grew by 1.06% from 7.77% to 7.85%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kern County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 49.5 in Kern County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kern County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35% in Kern County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kern County, CA.