Kern County, CA

County

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2021 Population

905,644

1.48% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

32.1

0.627% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

19.4%

5.27% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$58,824

7.24% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$241,400

6.53% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

353,637

1.98% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Kern County, CA had a population of 906k people with a median age of 32.1 and a median household income of $58,824. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Kern County, CA grew from 892,458 to 905,644, a 1.48% increase and its median household income grew from $54,851 to $58,824, a 7.24% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kern County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (32.2%), White (Hispanic) (30.1%), Other (Hispanic) (13.4%), Two+ (Hispanic) (10.2%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (5.07%).

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.

87.9% of the residents in Kern County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kern County, CA are Bakersfield College (6,612 degrees awarded in 2021), California State University-Bakersfield (3,013 degrees), and Cerro Coso Community College (906 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Kern County, CA was $241,400, and the homeownership rate was 59.3%.

Most people in Kern County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.7 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 906k people, from which 87.9% are citizens. As of 2021, 19.7% of Kern County, CA residents were born outside of the country (178k people).

In 2021, there were 1.07 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (291k people) in Kern County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 273k White (Hispanic) and 122k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.9%

2021 Citizenship

87.6%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 87.9% of Kern County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Kern County, CA was 87.6%, 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)
291k ± 1.23k
White (Hispanic)
273k ± 5.84k
Other (Hispanic)
122k ± 5.61k

54.7%

Hispanic Population

496k people

54.7% of the people in Kern County, CA are hispanic (496k 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
3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
Philippines
828,655 ± 22,113 people
China
680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

Foreign-Born Population

19.7%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

178k people

19.8%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

176k people

As of 2021, 19.7% of Kern County, CA residents (178k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kern County, CA was 19.8%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
11,102 ± 728
Gulf War (2001-)
8,612 ± 897
Gulf War (1990s)
5,351 ± 572

Kern County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Kern County, CA employs 354k people. The largest industries in Kern County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (42,461 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (41,115 people), and Retail Trade (36,150 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($77,837), Public Administration ($76,499), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($66,112).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

354k

2021 Value

± 5,845

1.98%

1 Year growth

± 2.23%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Kern County, CA grew at a rate of 1.98%, from 347k employees to 354k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kern County, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,972 people), Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (31,472 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (30,160 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

354k

2021 Value

± 5,845

1.98%

1 Year growth

± 2.23%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Kern County, CA grew at a rate of 1.98%, from 347k employees to 354k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kern County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (42,461 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (41,115 people), and Retail Trade (36,150 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

$40,328

Median earning men ± $909

$26,942

Median earning women ± $526

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($91,570), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,157), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($48,787).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($49,306), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($40,057), and Construction ($36,798).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

6,077
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,792
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
2,512
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$3.85M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$2.41M
Manufacturing
$1.56M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

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%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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 2021, universities in Kern County, CA awarded 12,622 degrees. The student population of Kern County, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 19,482 male students and 27,687 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kern County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (7,498 and 60.2%), followed by White (2,601 and 20.9%), Unknown (872 and 7%), and Asian (591 and 4.74%).

The largest universities in Kern County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Bakersfield College (6,612 and 52.4%), California State University-Bakersfield (3,013 and 23.9%), and Cerro Coso Community College (906 and 7.18%).

The most popular majors in Kern County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (4,102 and 32.5%), General Business Administration & Management (775 and 6.14%), and General Psychology (721 and 5.71%).

The median tuition cost in Kern County, CA for a public four year colleges is $3,561 for in-state students and $13,476 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Kern County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 85.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 11.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 47,169 (41.3% men and 58.7% 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 2021 there were 47,169 students enrolled in Kern County, CA, 41.3% men and 58.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 29,249 records, of which 61.2% were women and 38.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
2,208 degrees awarded
General Psychology
441 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
305 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Kern County, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 2,208 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
6,612 degrees awarded
California State University-Bakersfield
3,013 degrees awarded
Cerro Coso Community College
906 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bakersfield College with 6,612 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,117 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kern County, CA, which is 0.484 times less than the 8,505 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 7,498 degrees mean that there were 2.88 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 2,601 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 ($13,294) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($7,701) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,162) 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 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% 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 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

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 $241,400 in 2021, which is 0.986 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $226,600 to $241,400, a 6.53% increase. The homeownership rate in Kern County, CA is 59.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Kern County, CA have an average commute time of 23.7 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 $58,824. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Kern County, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $151,027, followed by Census Tract 38.10 and Census Tract 28.07, with respective values of $137,679 and $121,016.

In 2022, 24.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.42%.

Housing

Property

$241,400

Median Property Value 2021

±$3,113

$162,816

Median Property Taxes

±$3,681

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

59.3%

Homeownership

2021

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 59.3% of the housing units in Kern County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 58.9%.

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 28.07

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kern County, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $151,027, followed by Census Tract 38.10 and Census Tract 28.07, with respective values of $137,679 and $121,016.

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.

$58,824

Median Household Income

± $1,190

275k

Number of Households

± 4,738

In 2021, the median household income of the 275k households in Kern County, CA grew to $58,824 from the previous year's value of $54,851.

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.

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2021

Drove Alone (79.7%)
Carpooled (12%)
Worked At Home (5.44%)

In 2021, 79.7% of workers in Kern County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12%) and those who worked at home (5.44%).

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

23.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kern County, CA have a shorter commute time (23.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.19% 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 2022, 24.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.42%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

19.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kern County, CA (169k out of 875k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 6 - 11.

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

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 2022, 24.6% of the children was living in poverty in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 8.7%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 545 in Kern County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 22.6 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

92% of the population of Kern County, CA has health coverage, with 38% on employee plans, 36% on Medicaid, 7.34% on Medicare, 9.26% on non-group plans, and 1.41% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see 2023 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.979% decrease from the previous year (2043 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1972 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 434 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,023 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kern County, CA

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see an average of 2,023 patients per year. This represents a 0.979% decrease from the previous year (2,043 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.6% under 18 years, 23% between 18 and 34 years, 34.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.02%

Uninsured

38%

Employer Coverage

36%

Medicaid

7.34%

Medicare

9.26%

Non-Group

1.41%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kern County, CA grew by 3.81% from 7.73% to 8.02%.

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 2022, 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.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 35.5% in Kern County, CA.

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

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