Cost of Living in Kern County, CA

Modeled annual cost: $49,670.

Median family income: $75,186.

Affordability Snapshot

CA County Median

$58,396

State Rank

57thMost expensive counties in CA out of 58See California county rankings

Median Income

$75,186

Location Type

Metro

Biggest category:

Transport is the biggest expense in Kern County, CA.

$13,742 per year.

Cost breakdown

Total

$49,670

Per year

  • Transport:$13,742
  • Housing:$12,696
  • Taxes:$9,035
  • Other Costs:$5,181
  • Healthcare:$5,024
  • Food:$3,992
  • Childcare:$0

* Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Cheaper counties in California

1Imperial County, CA
$47,311

Popular comparisons in California

Los Angeles County vs Kern County→Cook County vs Kern County→Harris County vs Kern County→Maricopa County vs Kern County→Orange County vs Kern County→San Diego County vs Kern County→Kings County vs Kern County→Miami-Dade County vs Kern County→

See how Kern County, CA compares across the country.

Explore our cost of living interactive map to compare Kern County, CA with multiple counties in the United States.

Use the Cost of Living Map Launch WatchPennies cost of living map
How WatchPennies calculates salary needed
Cost of Living in Kern County, CA (2026)