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Living in
Tehachapi.
About
Life in Tehachapi
Tehachapi is a community of 12,366 people in California. The median household income is $72,957, median rent runs about $1,295 per month, and median home values are around $355,500. Unemployment sits at 9.0%, which is above the national average.
Tehachapi at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Foreign-Born
13.4%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
-8.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Tehachapi: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Tehachapi, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (57.6%), and 23.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.8%
of residents
65 and Older
13.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.9%
of households
Married Couples
41.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 36% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Tehachapi
In Tehachapi, rent runs 36% below the CA average, and home values are 52% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,074
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $421,840 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 3.5 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Tehachapi and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Kern County, which includes Tehachapi, is 3.5 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Tehachapi: Kern County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Kern County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Tehachapi is about 1% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Tehachapi Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Bakersfield, CA metro area
Commute27 min avg
How Tehachapi residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Tehachapi, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
Meadows Field (BFL)
Regional airport · few flights219k passengers boarded in 2025
- 64 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 82 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Major hub36.5M passengers boarded in 2025
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 22% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Tehachapi runs 22% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
401.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,682.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Tehachapi Police Department
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).
Kern County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kern County, which includes Tehachapi, the most common type is high wind, with 60 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | High Wind | $50,500 |
| 2024 | 110 | High Wind | $117,500 |
| 2023 | 90 | High Wind | $76,000 |
| 2022 | 92 | High Wind | $132,000 |
| 2021 | 48 | Dense Fog | $12,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 28 | Flood | $181,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Flood | $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.
157 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kern County, county-wide
Tehachapi 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 Tehachapi, 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
Tehachapi is about 1% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate84°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Tehachapi has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
62°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.7"
Annual Snowfall
1.3"
Hot Days/Year
28
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
82
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
39
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 32°F | 2.42" |
| Feb | 53°F | 31°F | 3.01" |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 2.03" |
| Apr | 61°F | 37°F | 0.78" |
| May | 69°F | 44°F | 0.39" |
| Jun | 79°F | 52°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 86°F | 58°F | 0.26" |
| Aug | 86°F | 57°F | 0.09" |
| Sep | 81°F | 51°F | 0.15" |
| Oct | 71°F | 43°F | 0.46" |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 0.92" |
| Dec | 51°F | 31°F | 2.11" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Tehachapi
Tehachapi has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
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.
Education23.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Tehachapi
Tehachapi's student/teacher ratio is 23.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 15.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: César E. Chávez National Monument, 8 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Tehachapi
Tehachapi has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being César E. Chávez National Monument (8 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
César E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
8 mi awaySanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
73 mi awayPublic Libraries in Tehachapi
Tehachapi Branch Library
212 Green Street, Tehachapi
Cities Near Tehachapi
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Tehachapi?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Tehachapi FAQ
Is Tehachapi, California affordable?⌄
Tehachapi's median rent is $1,295/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $72,957/year. Median home value is $355,500.
Is Tehachapi, California safe?⌄
Tehachapi's violent crime rate was 402 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1682 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Tehachapi, California?⌄
Kern County, which includes Tehachapi, has an unemployment rate of 9.0%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Tehachapi, California?⌄
The cost of living in Tehachapi is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,295/month and median household income is $72,957/year. The median home value is $355,500. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Tehachapi, California?⌄
The average commute in Tehachapi is 27 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