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Taft, California

city · Kern County

At a glance

7,125
Population
$252,600
Median home value (all homes)
17% below U.S. median
$209,611
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$1,069/mo
Median rent
21% below U.S. median
$72,772
Median household income
7% below U.S. median
18.8 min
Average commute
83.6%
Homes with broadband
70.4%
Locations with fiber available
6.1%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 98 — 2% below the national average. how it's computed

Housing1% above
Goods & services3% above
Utilities2% below
Taxes34% below
Insurance11% below
Commute cost1% above
For business: California is CBII band 4/5 · time to build band 5/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Colleges in town:
Taft College 2-year
Nearest 4-year college25 mi
Nearest community college1 mi
Nearest technical college28 mi
High school graduates82.2%
College graduates9%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

county Kern County Community Development
Provides consolidated land use planning and community development programs for Kern County residents. Its mission is to foster economic vitality, support resource conservation, and improve the economic, environmental, and social quality of life for residents, including those with lower incomes.
region California Central Valley Economic Development Corporation
Regional marketing group promoting job creation and investment attraction across six Central Valley counties, offering site location assistance, data, incentives information, and real estate resources.
state Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. It offers no-cost consultation to business owners for attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and more.
state Team California
TeamCalifornia is the go-to partner for businesses, site selectors, and communities looking to succeed in California. With our extensive network, we provide direct access to the best sites, accelerate speed-to-market, and give essential resources to streamline decision-making and drive growth.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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