Great blue heron, 2006
Kernville’s story
158 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006.
- 1868Kernville is settled
KernvilleCA
Today 857 people live in this town, first settled in 1868.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jpgordon · Public domain
Population
857
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$334K
−0.5% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
65.6
years
Jobs based here
496
Balanced
Is Kernville a good place to live?
Kernville’s mean commuting time is 51 minutes, where California’s towns sit at 28 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 5 of the 848 California towns we compare have a higher midpoint age than Kernville. 54% of the land in Kernville is conserved, where California’s towns sit at 4.3% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest park or preserve is Kernville Park Recreation Area, at 28 acres. Kernville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
857 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Wofford HeightsKernville
Getting set up
Moving to Kernville: who provides what
Kernville is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCWS - Kernville water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
SchoolsKern High School DistrictKernville Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Kernville; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 code9323893238 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 Kernville.
Schools
The schools Kernville’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Kernville Union Elementary school district. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 105 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kernville ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 105 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Outdoors
Conservation land takes up nearly a third of Kernville
In 3 parks and preserves, walkers have 14 miles of trail. Kernville’s density of trails is 1.1 miles per square mile.
53.9%conserved
53.9%
conserved · 4,444 of 8,246 acres
14 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riverside Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
| 2. Kernville Park Recreation Area | — | 28 |
| 3. Circle Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
$334KZillow home value
Typical home value
Kernville$334K
California$762K
−0.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: very high risk in Kernville, mostly inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 98% of U.S. communities. Households in Kernville have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2023. FEMA puts nearly two thirds of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 21% to wildfires.
98risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
97°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–59°
Spring42–72°
Summer59–94°
Fall45–78°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
97°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Kernville stands out in California and nationally, with fewer of its residents who live below the poverty line
In Kernville, about one in five working residents works in town. The top destinations are Bakersfield (7%), Los Angeles (7%) and Lake Isabella (5%).
20%work in town
| Kernville | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Kernville20%
Bakersfield7%
Los Angeles7%
Lake Isabella5%
Ridgecrest4%
51 mi
median commute distance
496
jobs based in Kernville
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
More of Kernville’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical California or U.S. town
For adults in Kernville, the share who have been diagnosed with depression is 25%. Against the California average, Kernville comes out ahead on 8 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 15.
| Kernville | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. California
8 better9 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Kernville | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.5% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.3% | 14.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 11.9% | 5.1% |
Kern Valley Healthcare District
8.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kernville
17pages on Kernville
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Kernville; the nearest are
Porterville CollegeCommunity college · Public · Porterville38.5 mi$1,438 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield47.1 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Kernville residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A growing town
Kernville has grown 11% from 2010 to 2020
1,395 counted in 2010 and 1,549 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
About Kernville
Census-designated place in California, United States
Kernville is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States. Kernville is located 42 miles (68 km) northeast of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2,667 feet (813 m). The population was 1,549 at the 2020 United States census, up from 1,395 at the 2010 census, but below the 2000 census total of 1,736.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,667 ft
- ZIP code
- 93238
Questions about Kernville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kernville, CA a good place to live?
Kernville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.