Onyx California post office, 2007
Onyx’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 476 in 2000, 457 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
- 1889Onyx is settled
OnyxCA
A town of 245, settled in 1889.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Qfl247 (talk) (Transferred by Citypeek/Original uploaded by Qfl247) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
245
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$234K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$24K
median
Median age
22.8
years
Jobs based here
7
A commuter town
Is Onyx a good place to live?
27% of the land in Onyx is conserved, above both California’s towns (4.3%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Kiavah Wilderness, at 2,985 acres. Onyx has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
245 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
WeldonOnyx
Getting set up
Moving to Onyx: who provides what
Onyx is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCws-Onyx Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers86% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
SchoolsKern High School DistrictSouth Fork Union School District2 districts serve Onyx; 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 codes93255, 9328393255 96% · 93283 4%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 Onyx.
Housing
A home in Onyx is worth about $234K, on Zillow’s estimate
Onyx: 62% of households own their home, where California’s towns sit at 64% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$234KZillow home value
Typical home value
Onyx$234K
California$762K
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Onyx is inland flooding, at a very high overall level
On expected storm and flood damage, Onyx sits above 98% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 66% come from inland flooding and 21% from wildfires. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Onyx after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2023.
98risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireEarthquakes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers nearly a quarter of Onyx
Count the trails in 3 parks and preserves and they come to 11 miles. For Onyx, the trail network density is 1.0 miles per square mile.
27.4%conserved
27.4%
conserved · 2,010 of 7,344 acres
11 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kiavah Wilderness | 0.9 mi | 2,985 |
| 2. Domeland Wilderness | — | 33 |
| 3. Scodie Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
A larger share of residents live below the poverty line in Onyx than in most of California or the rest of the country
The top destinations are Kernville (22%), Los Angeles (7%) and Bakersfield (6%). Onyx’s income of the median household is $24,000. Half the trips to work are shorter than 54 miles.
0%work in town
| Onyx | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 40% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $24,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Onyx0%
Kernville22%
Los Angeles7%
Bakersfield6%
Lake Isabella6%
54 mi
median commute distance
7
jobs based in Onyx
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
99°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–59°
Spring43–74°
Summer61–96°
Fall45–79°
Nov 3
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
99°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Onyx stands out in California and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
17% of Onyx adults have diabetes. This California town does better than the California average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 17.
| Onyx | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 36% | 33% |
32 measures vs. California
6 better9 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Onyx | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults lacking emotional support | 22.7% | 28.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11% | 5.1% |
Kern Valley Healthcare District
10.4 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 Onyx
16pages on Onyx
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Onyx; the nearest are
Cerro Coso Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ridgecrest32.2 mi$1,384 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield54.1 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
College town 20 of every 100 Onyx residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Onyx for work
Where Onyx’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7jobs based in Onyx
0%of working residents work in town
54 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Onyx
Place in California, United States
Onyx (formerly, Scodie) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Onyx is located 3.5 miles (6 km) east-northeast of Weldon in the South Fork Valley at an elevation of 2,795 feet (852 m). The population was 457 at the 2020 census, down from 475 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,795 ft
- ZIP code
- 93255
Questions about Onyx
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Onyx, CA a good place to live?
Onyx has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.