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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Kern County, California

Kern County has an effective property tax rate of 0.88%. On the median home value of $338,300, that's roughly $2,984 per year. Median household income is $70,210.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.88%
median tax $2,984 ÷ median home $338,300
Median Home Value1
$338,300
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$70,210
per-capita $29,699
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,984
at 0.88% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricKern CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.88%0.70%
Median home value1$338,300—
State income tax3top rate 13.30%top rate 13.30%
State sales tax39.03% combined9.03% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Kern County, CA

For buyers weighing Kern County, the tax picture cuts both ways. At 0.882%, the effective property tax rate runs above California's 0.698% median and ranks first among the state's 58 counties, so a comparable house here carries a heavier tax load than in most of California. The offset comes from price: a median home value of $338,300 yields an annual real-estate tax bill of $2,984, and that home value sits well below what buyers face in many coastal markets. Households earning the median $70,210 would devote roughly four percent of income to property taxes, while per-capita income stands at $29,699. Bakersfield, the county's largest city, anchors much of this housing stock. Nationally, the 0.794% median rate is lower still, meaning Kern County taxes land above both benchmarks even as its entry prices stay comparatively accessible.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Kern County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.88% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.88% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($338,300), the estimated annual bill is about $2,984.
Is Kern County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.70% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Kern County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Kern County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.