Housing data for Taft Heights, CA
Taft Heights, CA has an estimated 1,291 residents and 680 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Kern County.
48.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,066 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−35.4%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 1,291 (±406)
- Housing units
- 680 (±137)
- Households that rent
- 48.3%
- Median gross rent
- $1,066
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −35.4%
What stands out in Taft Heights
Homes built before 1980: 81.4% (±22.5 points) in Taft Heights, higher than in Kern County (42.9%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 41.9% (±17.7 points) in Taft Heights, higher than in Kern County (22.9%).
Median home value: $193,800 (±$48,261) in Taft Heights, lower than in Kern County ($338,300).
Households without a vehicle: 2.9% (±3.7 points) in Taft Heights, lower than in Kern County (6.7%).
- Age of homes in Taft Heights
- How long people stay in Taft Heights
- Home values in Taft Heights
- Commute and cars in Taft Heights
Housing in Taft Heights at a glance
- Median rent: $1,066 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,036 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 48.9% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 48.3% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $54,034 median household income
- Home values: $193,800 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,575 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,321 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 1.5% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 53.9% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 81.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 11.1% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 52.3% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 21.2 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: −35.4% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 41.9% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Taft Heights against Kern County, its state and the nation
| Taft Heights | Kern County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,291 (±406) | 915,075 (exact) | 39,287,377 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 680 (±137) | 306,999 (±246) | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 48.3% (±14.3 points) | 39.9% (±0.8 points) | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 (±$189) | $1,300 (±$21) | $2,036 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $54,034 (±$8,826) | $70,210 (±$1,287) | $99,122 (±$310) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $193,800 (±$48,261) | $338,300 (±$2,944) | $734,700 (±$1,307) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,321 (±$305) | $2,984 (±$55) | $5,124 (±$17) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 81.4% (±22.5 points) | 42.9% (±1.0 points) | 56.0% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 21.2 minutes (±8.7) | 24.4 minutes (±0.4) | 28.7 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.8% (±5.9 points) | 91.6% (±0.4 points) | 93.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 31.4 years (±5.1) | 32.7 years (±0.1) | 37.9 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Taft Heights covers 0.3 square miles of land, about 4,361 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Taft Heights has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,998 (±475) | 1,291 (±406) | −35.4% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 813 (±123) | 680 (±137) | −16.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $866 (±$156) | $1,066 (±$189) | +23.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $147,000 (±$21,070) | $193,800 (±$48,261) | +31.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $48,913 (±$23,038) | $54,034 (±$8,826) | +10.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,276 (±$119) | $1,575 (±$678) | +23.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,773 (±$174) | $2,321 (±$305) | +30.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 65.2% (±10.6 points) | 48.3% (±14.3 points) | −16.9 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.6% (±10.1 points) | 11.1% (±16.2 points) | +4.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Kern County
Taft Heights has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Kern County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Kern County recorded 657 violent and 1,933 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
Places near Taft Heights
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Taft | 0.8 mi | $955 | $184,600 | 60.2% |
| Ford City | 2.3 mi | $1,075 | $207,800 | 62.7% |
| Taft | 2.7 mi | $1,069 | $252,600 | 45.0% |
| Maricopa | 6.8 mi | $1,203 | $155,500 | 39.7% |
| Buttonwillow | 19 mi | $1,131 | $213,600 | 61.9% |
| Rosedale | 23 mi | $1,637 | $608,900 | 14.3% |
| Greenacres | 26 mi | $1,761 | $351,800 | 18.8% |
| Pine Mountain Club | 27 mi | $2,145 | $394,600 | 17.3% |
Places in California most like Taft Heights
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodville | $1,102 | $216,900 | $54,531 | 47.9% |
| Boron | $1,219 | $148,600 | $53,170 | 54.9% |
| Fort Jones | $1,137 | $228,700 | $47,375 | 45.7% |
| Hillcrest | $1,259 | $272,700 | $46,285 | 49.5% |
| Benton Park | $1,243 | $240,600 | $49,717 | 39.3% |
| La Cresta | $1,177 | $262,000 | $49,605 | 57.0% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across California.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Taft Heights, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,265 | $1,273 | $1,656 | $2,293 | $2,768 |
HUD income limits for Taft Heights, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $20,450 | $34,000 | $54,400 |
| 2 people | $23,350 | $38,850 | $62,200 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $43,700 | $69,950 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $52,450 | $83,950 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $56,350 | $90,150 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $60,250 | $96,350 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $64,100 | $102,600 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $81,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Taft Heights is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Taft Heights
What is the average rent in Taft Heights, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Taft Heights is $1,066 (±$189) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Taft Heights?
The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Taft Heights, CA is $1,036 (±$246) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Taft Heights?
Taft Heights has an estimated 264 (±103) renting households, 48.3% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Taft Heights?
The median household income in Taft Heights is $54,034 (±$8,826) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Taft Heights, CA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $193,800 (±$48,261) for owner-occupied homes in Taft Heights (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Taft Heights?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Taft Heights, CA is $1,575 (±$678) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is Taft Heights growing?
In Taft Heights, the number of residents went from 1,998 in 2015–2019 to 1,291 in 2020–2024 (−35.4%), a measurable decrease.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Taft Heights CDP, California
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Taft Heights CDP, California (place:77588, in state:06).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .