Kern County, California Income Statistics
Kern County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Kern County Well below averageLess wealthy than 82% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Kern County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $70,255 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,447 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.2% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Kern County is about 29% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Kern County (4.4%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Kern County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Kern County, California grew by 52.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $70,255 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Kern County
| Metric | Kern County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.605 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,766 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,874 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.6% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Kern County, it is 0.605, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 28% more than women's income in Kern County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $451,220 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kern County, California has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,689 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Kern County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.5% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 34,534 people are unemployed in Kern County, California.
The average commute time in Kern County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Kern County, California has fallen from 12.4% to 8.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 8.3% in 2023.
Kern County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Kern County, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 915,060 residents against a local median of 478,693. Where Kern County, CA breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 22% below the local median of $90,339 at $70,255. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 8.6% against a local median of 7.3%, 18% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Kern County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread $39,764 on median household income, so Kern County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kern County, CA has the 6th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern County, CA | 915,060 | $70,255 #6/6 | 4.4%/yr #5/6 | 8.6% #4/6 | 0.605 #5/6 |
| Tulare County, CA | 478,693 | $71,104 | 6.5%/yr | 9.3% | 0.592 |
| Ventura County, CA | 836,943 | $110,868 | 4.3%/yr | 5.7% | 0.557 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 9,796,997 | $90,339 | 5.6%/yr | 7.3% | 0.581 |
| Kings County, CA | 153,298 | $71,135 | 5.3%/yr | 9.9% | 0.615 |
| Santa Barbara County, CA | 443,693 | $98,304 | 5.2%/yr | 6.3% | 0.577 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kern County, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Kern County, California.
How Rich Is Kern County, California?
Kern County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $70,255, about 29% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Kern County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Kern County, California rose 52%, from $46,182 to $70,255. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +52% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Kern County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Kern County, California was $67,684, up 6% from $63,941 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Kern County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Kern County, California was $55,478. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $70,255.
How strong is the job market in Kern County, California?
Unemployment in Kern County, California is 8.6%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Kern County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Kern County is 0.605. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Kern County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kern County, California has narrowed from about 25% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,689 since 2009.
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