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Living in
Wasco.
About
Life in Wasco
If you're considering Wasco, you're looking at an affordable, family-oriented working-class community in the San Joaquin Valley with a median household income around $51,727 and median home values near $274,000. The Latino community makes up the majority of residents, and about 57% of households include children, reflecting a young population with a median age under 30. Housing is accessible—both rents (averaging $1,089/month) and home prices are well below California standards—and the 22-minute average commute to Bakersfield is manageable for many jobs.
Wasco at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.4%
Foreign-Born
29.8%
Broadband Internet
84.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Wasco: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wasco, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (90.7%), and 67.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.4%
of residents
65 and Older
6.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
50.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.2%
of households
Married Couples
51.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.57
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 47% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Wasco
In Wasco, rent runs 47% below the CA average, and home values are 63% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,989
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $312,584 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 8.8 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Wasco and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wasco is 8.8 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Wasco 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
Commute23.3 min avg
How Wasco residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wasco, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 19 mi
Meadows Field (BFL)
Regional airport · few flights219k passengers boarded in 2025
- 111 mi
Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Medium hub3.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 125 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Wasco is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
336.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
991.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wasco 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 Wasco, 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.
164 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kern County, county-wide
Wasco is about 3% 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 Wasco, 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
Wasco is about 3% of Kern County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate98°F summers, 40°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wasco has hot summers (avg high 98°F) and mild winters (avg low 40°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
98°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
7.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.2"
Hot Days/Year
126
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
25
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
34
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 39°F | 1.29" |
| Feb | 65°F | 42°F | 1.16" |
| Mar | 71°F | 46°F | 1.37" |
| Apr | 77°F | 50°F | 0.63" |
| May | 86°F | 57°F | 0.27" |
| Jun | 94°F | 63°F | 0.13" |
| Jul | 100°F | 69°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 99°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 94°F | 62°F | 0.03" |
| Oct | 82°F | 53°F | 0.51" |
| Nov | 69°F | 44°F | 0.58" |
| Dec | 59°F | 38°F | 1.11" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wasco
Uninsured
11.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wasco's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventist Health Delano
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 mi away · Delano
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.
Education21.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wasco
Wasco's student/teacher ratio is 21.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 6.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
6.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.4:1
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, 52 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wasco
Wasco has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being César E. Chávez National Monument (52 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
César E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
52 mi awaySequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
National Parks
89 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wasco
Wasco Branch Library
1102 -7th Street, Wasco
Cities Near Wasco
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wasco?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wasco FAQ
Is Wasco, California affordable?⌄
Wasco's median rent is $1,089/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,727/year. Median home value is $273,600.
Is Wasco, California safe?⌄
Wasco's violent crime rate was 337 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 992 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wasco, California?⌄
Wasco has an unemployment rate of 14.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wasco, California?⌄
The cost of living in Wasco is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,089/month and median household income is $51,727/year. The median home value is $273,600. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wasco, California?⌄
The average commute in Wasco is 23 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