About

Life in Lamont

This small CDP about 9 miles south of Bakersfield is a tight-knit community where you're getting serious affordability in exchange for limited job options and a long commute reality. The community is overwhelmingly Latino, with over 94% of the population identifying as Latino and 81.8% speaking Spanish at home, which shapes the local culture, food scene, and neighborhood character in profound ways; if you're looking for cultural integration and community rooted in family, this is genuinely present here. Schools are limited to the Lamont School District and one high school (Nueva) through the Kern High School District, so families should research educational quality carefully before moving.

Lamont at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

31.6 yrs

Poverty Rate

35.4%

Foreign-Born

43.0%

Broadband Internet

86.8%

of households

Population Growth

-8.9%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Lamont$37,217
California avg$99,122
US$80,734

Demographics43.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico

Who lives in Lamont: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Lamont, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (96.0%), and 82.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.

Under 18

30.6%

of residents

65 and Older

9.9%

of residents

Households with Kids

43.6%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

8.6%

of households

Married Couples

48.0%

of households

Avg Household Size

3.68

people

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino94.3%
White3.1%
Asian1.4%
Black0.9%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

Mexico96.0%
El Salvador2.9%
Philippines0.6%
China0.2%
Guatemala0.2%

Languages Spoken at Home

Spanish82.5%
English only17.2%
Tagalog/Filipino0.2%
Chinese0.1%

Cost of Livingrent 51% below CA average

Rent, home values, and income in Lamont

In Lamont, rent runs 51% below the CA average, and home values are 70% below the CA average.

Median rent (per month)

Lamont$991
California avg$2,036
US$1,413

Median home value

Lamont$220,700
California avg$734,700
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

59.1%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

27.8%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

100.9

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Median Property Tax

$1,615

per year, owner-occupied homes

Homeowners

47.9%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1971

median year built

Vacant Homes

7.4%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$189,607
$251,557
$250,658
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $250,658 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.5 pts above CA average

Unemployment in Lamont and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Kern County, which includes Lamont, is 3.5 percentage points higher than the CA average.

Unemployment rate

Lamont9.0%
California avg5.5%
US4.3%

Lamont: Kern County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

10.4%
9.2%
8.1%
7.8%
12.7%
9.9%
7.1%
8.1%
8.7%
9%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Kern County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Lamont is about 1% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Lamont Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Agriculture & mining46.4%
Education & health care13.5%
Retail10.0%
Construction7.1%
Arts, hospitality & food service5.5%
Professional & business services4.7%
Other services3.7%
Manufacturing2.6%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$106,390
Healthcare$101,160
Education$63,560
Construction$59,670
Office & Admin$45,500
Transportation$44,030
Sales$35,410
Food Service$33,580

Bakersfield, CA metro area

Commute24.7 min avg

How Lamont residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Lamont, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 73% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone78.5%
Carpool16.1%
Public transit0.2%
Walk0.3%
Work from home4.4%
Other0.4%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min16.7%
15–29 min56.5%
30–44 min15.1%
45–59 min4.7%
60+ min7.0%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Meadows Field (BFL)

    Regional airport · few flights219k passengers boarded in 2025

    14 mi
  • Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)

    Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025

    79 mi
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

    Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025

    95 mi

Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.

Safetyviolent crime 222% above national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in the area policed by the Kern County Sheriff's Office, which covers Lamont, runs 222% above the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

1,060.4

per 100,000 residents

Above average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

2,068.9

per 100,000 residents

Above average (1,552 national, 2025)

Policed by Kern County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)

Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 60 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively High

98.9 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Drought · HighEarthquake · HighHeat wave · HighLandslide · HighLightning · High

Kern County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Kern County, which includes Lamont, the most common type is high wind, with 60 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

High WindDense FogFloodHeavy SnowWinter Weather

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202560High Wind$50,500
2024110High Wind$117,500
202390High Wind$76,000
202292High Wind$132,000
202148Dense Fog$12,000
20209FloodNone reported
201928Flood$181,000
201810Flood$1,000

Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.

160 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year

Kern County, county-wide

Lamont is about 1% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Air Quality70 median AQI — Moderate

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Kern County, which includes Lamont, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Median AQI

70

Good Days

64

per year

Moderate Days

236

per year

Unhealthy Days

4

per year

Kern County, county-wide

Lamont is about 1% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate95°F summers, 39°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Lamont has hot summers (avg high 95°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).

Spring (Mar–May)

76°/50°F

avg high / low

Summer (Jun–Aug)

95°/68°F

avg high / low

Fall (Sep–Nov)

79°/54°F

avg high / low

Winter (Dec–Feb)

60°/39°F

avg high / low

Annual Precipitation

8.6"

Annual Snowfall

0.1"

Hot Days/Year

110

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

17

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

33

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
20°40°60°80°100°1.5"Jan: 1.27" precipitationFeb: 1.28" precipitationMar: 1.24" precipitationApr: 0.62" precipitationMay: 0.32" precipitationJun: 0.01" precipitationJul: 0.02" precipitationAug: 0.00" precipitationSep: 0.11" precipitationOct: 0.22" precipitationNov: 0.53" precipitationDec: 1.03" precipitationJJan: high 58°F, low 39°FFFeb: high 64°F, low 41°FMMar: high 69°F, low 45°FAApr: high 75°F, low 49°FMMay: high 83°F, low 57°FJJun: high 91°F, low 64°F97°JJul: high 97°F, low 70°FAAug: high 96°F, low 69°FSSep: high 91°F, low 64°FOOct: high 80°F, low 54°FNNov: high 67°F, low 44°F38°DDec: high 59°F, low 38°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan58°F39°F1.27"
Feb64°F41°F1.28"
Mar69°F45°F1.24"
Apr75°F49°F0.62"
May83°F57°F0.32"
Jun91°F64°F0.01"
Jul97°F70°F0.02"
Aug96°F69°F0.00"
Sep91°F64°F0.11"
Oct80°F54°F0.22"
Nov67°F44°F0.53"
Dec59°F38°F1.03"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lamont

Uninsured

13.2%

of residents

No hospitals inside Lamont's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Kern Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Bakersfield

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, Llc

Psychiatric · 9.2 mi away · Bakersfield

Not rated

Mercy Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.1 mi away · Bakersfield

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity43.5%US 36.8%
Diabetes18.5%US 12.6%
High blood pressure33.7%US 37.1%
Current smoking20.4%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity48.2%US 26.6%
Depression23.5%US 23.0%
Asthma10.6%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year66.5%US 78.2%

Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.

Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.

Education20.9:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Lamont

Lamont's student/teacher ratio is 20.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 4.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

5

within city limits

Private Schools

0

within city limits

College Degree Rate

4.6%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

20.9:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Lamont (within 15 miles)

Bakersfield College

10.9 mi away

Public · 2-year · 17,280 students · in-state tuition $1,450 · 26% graduate · median earnings $41,011 (10 yrs after entry)

California State University-Bakersfield

12.4 mi away

Public · 4-year · 8,577 students · in-state tuition $8,496 · 66% graduate · median earnings $62,381 (10 yrs after entry)

Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield

8.8 mi away

Private for-profit · 2-year · 493 students · 46% graduate · median earnings $46,721 (10 yrs after entry)

Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)

Parks & Recreationclosest: César E. Chávez National Monument, 20 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lamont

Lamont has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being César E. Chávez National Monument (20 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

20 mi away

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

81 mi away

Public Libraries in Lamont

Lamont Branch Library

8304 Segrue Road, Lamont

Branch~13 hrs/week

Cities Near Lamont

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Lamont?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

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Lamont FAQ

Is Lamont, California affordable?⌄

Lamont's median rent is $991/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $37,217/year. Median home value is $220,700.

Is Lamont, California safe?⌄

Lamont is policed by the Kern County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 1060 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2069 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Lamont, California?⌄

Kern County, which includes Lamont, has an unemployment rate of 9.0%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.

What is the cost of living in Lamont, California?⌄

The cost of living in Lamont is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $991/month and median household income is $37,217/year. The median home value is $220,700. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Lamont, California?⌄

The average commute in Lamont is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from