Kern County, CA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Kern County, California is about $307,500 (the 2026 median across 38 ZIP codes, at ~$230/sq ft) — 55% more affordable than the California median and 6% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Kern County compares
Kern County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $307,500 against $688,000 for California and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $164,000 to $640,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Kern County | $307,500 | $230 |
| California | $688,000 | $451 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Kern County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Kern County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Kern County (of 38 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93531 Keene | $640,000 | $277 | +108% |
| 93314 Bakersfield | $575,000 | $248 | +87% |
| 93311 Bakersfield | $472,000 | $247 | +53% |
| 93312 Bakersfield | $454,000 | $241 | +48% |
| 93226 Glennville | $429,000 | $226 | +40% |
| 93561 Tehachapi | $422,000 | $254 | +37% |
| 93313 Bakersfield | $412,000 | $228 | +34% |
| 93560 Rosamond | $405,000 | $245 | +32% |
| 93263 Shafter | $384,000 | $234 | +25% |
| 93222 Pine Mountain Club | $376,000 | $254 | +22% |
| 93243 Lebec | $369,000 | $295 | +20% |
| 93224 Fellows | $365,000 | $192 | +19% |
| 93306 Bakersfield | $346,000 | $198 | +13% |
| 93308 Bakersfield | $343,000 | $235 | +12% |
| 93309 Bakersfield | $343,000 | $226 | +12% |
Home value appreciation in Kern County
Home prices in Kern County have risen about 88% over the last 10 years (≈6.5% a year) and +47.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.0% — still rising. A home worth $307,500 today was worth roughly $163,913 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, California is +80.3% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Kern County
Run the numbers for Kern County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Kern County
To buy the typical $307,500 home in Kern County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $84,000 a year (about $1,950 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $99,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $15,400 | $2,430/mo | $104,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $30,800 | $2,320/mo | $99,000/yr |
| 20% | $61,500 | $1,950/mo | $84,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Kern County
At about $230 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Kern County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 650 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 870 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1090 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 1300 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1740 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to California.
Estimate a specific home in Kern County
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Kern County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all California cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.