Inyokern, 2008
Inyokern’s story
116 years in pictures
Census counts: 984 in 2000, 988 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1943 on.
- 1910Inyokern is settled
InyokernCA
A town of 912, settled in 1910.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jey0h (talk) · CC BY 3.0
Population
912
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$267K
−0.7% in a year
Median age
55.2
years
Jobs based here
82
A commuter town
Is Inyokern a good place to live?
Inyokern’s July high is 102°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Among 834 California towns, just 2 have a lower median rent than Inyokern. Inyokern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
912 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
China Lake AcresInyokern
Getting set up
Moving to Inyokern: who provides what
Inyokern is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterInyokern Csd water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers83% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereKern County Clerk - Elections OfficeKern County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9352793527 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Inyokern.
Housing
A typical Inyokern home is worth about $267K
The typical Inyokern home is worth about $267,000, down 0.7% in a year, 65% below the California typical home.
$267KZillow home value
Typical home value
Inyokern$267K
California$762K
−0.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Inyokern’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Sierra Sands Unified school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inyokern ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 161 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Inyokern’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Inyokern for work: only 3% work in town. 23% of Inyokern residents live below the poverty line, above both California’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Inyokern’s average trip to work is 20 minutes.
3%work in town
| Inyokern | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Inyokern3%
Ridgecrest28%
Bakersfield8%
Los Angeles5%
Santa Clarita3%
71 mi
median commute distance
82
jobs based in Inyokern
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Earthquakes leads a high hazard risk in Inyokern
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Inyokern, expect mild winters and hot summers
Inyokern has mild winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. The January low in Inyokern is 32°F.
102°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–60°
Spring47–77°
Summer66–100°
Fall49–81°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 9
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
102°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Inyokern is
Inyokern beats the California average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 31% of adults feel lonely in Inyokern.
| Inyokern | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 36% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 78% | 72% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 5.5% | 9% | 8.1% |
32 measures vs. California
11 better13 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Inyokern | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.5% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.7% | 17.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 6.4% |
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
8.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 2 of 6,965 acres
4.5 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Inyokern County Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 15 attractions →Red Rock Canyon State Park and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Inyokern. Close and well known come first.
22 mi State parkRed Rock Canyon State Park
26 mi Park & preserveTrona Pinnacles
17 mi Park & preserveBurro Schmidt Tunnel
9 mi MuseumMaturango Museum
10 mi MuseumNaval Museum of Armament & TechnologySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Red Rock Canyon State Park: Jean trans h+, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Trona Pinnacles: Doug Dolde at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Burro Schmidt Tunnel: Kurtis2014, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Maturango Museum: Qfl247 (talk) (Transferred by Citypeek/Original uploaded by Qfl247), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Naval Museum of Armament & Technology: U.S. Navy photo by Geoffrey Patrick., Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Inyokern
17pages on Inyokern
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Inyokern
About 1 of every 100 Inyokern residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A shrinking town
Inyokern has shrunk 10% from 2010 to 2020
1,099 counted in 2010 and 988 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
About Inyokern
Place in California, United States
Inyokern (formerly Siding 16 and Magnolia) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Its name derives from its location near the border between Inyo and Kern Counties. Inyokern is located 8 miles (13 km) west of Ridgecrest, at an elevation of 2,434 feet (742 m). It is on the western side of the Indian Wells Valley. The population was 988 in the 2020 census, down from 1,099 in the 2010 census. It was a railroad town established along the Southern Pacific railroad's Lone Pine Branch (now removed) and with WWII became site of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. It is served by Inyokern Airport.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,434 ft
- ZIP code
- 93527
Questions about Inyokern
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Inyokern, CA a good place to live?
Inyokern has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.