Mojave, 2006
Rosamond’s story
149 years in pictures
Census counts: 2,281 in 1970, 20,961 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1947 on.
- 1877Rosamond is established
RosamondCA
A town of 21,473, established in 1877.
Photo: SkiDragon · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
21,473
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$405K
−0.4% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
31.3
years
Jobs based here
1,470
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#827 of 841 in CA
Is Rosamond a good place to live?
Rosamond grades D− overall, 827th among California's 841 graded towns, mostly because of incomes. The median household income is $79K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Rosamond’s peak summer temperature is 98°F, above both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Homes are expensive, about $405K for a typical one and 5.8 times the Bakersfield metro’s $70K median household income.
A growing town
Rosamond has grown 16% from 2010 to 2020
18,150 counted in 2010 and 20,961 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Rosamond grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Rosamond is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthAntelope Valley Hospital 12.6 miles awayCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 5% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$405K typical home, down 0.4% in a year; 63 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 31.3; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Rosamond: who provides what
Rosamond is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAntelope Valley East Kern Water AgencyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers86% 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 code9356093560 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 Rosamond.
OutdoorsC+
Open space protected for good: 0.8% of Rosamond
Across 3 parks and preserves: 198 miles of trail. Rosamond’s trail density comes in at 3.8 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves in the town: 3, covering 23 acres.
#42for trails in CA
| Rosamond | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 3.8 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
0.8%
conserved · 272 of 33,351 acres
198 mi
of trails · 3.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jim Williford Community Park | 0.5 mi | 5 |
| 2. United Street Park | 0.1 mi | 10 |
| 3. Rosamond Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Public schools in Rosamond fall behind 74% of California districts
The largest public high school is Rosamond High Early College Campus, with 927 students. Two of the 6 schools are below, and why each made the list. Its public schools are run by the Southern Kern Unified school district.
26%of CA districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westpark ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 952 | – |
| Rosamond High Early College CampusLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 927 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade D
Rosamond’s grade for cost of living is a D
77% of Rosamond households live in a home they own. Zillow values the typical Rosamond home at about $405,000, about the same as a year ago, 47% below the California typical home. Also worth knowing: its typical rent is $1,498 a month.
$405KZillow home value
| Rosamond | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 77% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,498 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Rosamond$405K
California$762K
Market temperature
63
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
−0.4%
value change, 1 year
15
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Natural hazards: very high risk in Rosamond, mostly inland flooding
The national flood insurance program has paid one claim in Rosamond since 2023. Compared with 87% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 64% come from inland flooding and 30% from earthquakes. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Rosamond after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2023.
87risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
1
paid flood claims since 2023
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Rosamond has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The average trip to work for Rosamond comes to 31 minutes. Commuting out is the norm in the town: nearly a tenth of working residents work locally. Employers in Rosamond added 191 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 1,470. Half the trips to work are shorter than 23 miles.
9%work in town
| Rosamond | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $79,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.9% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Rosamond9%
Lancaster21%
Palmdale10%
Los Angeles6%
Bakersfield4%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,470
jobs based in Rosamond
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Rosamond is less healthy than 72% of U.S. towns
For adults in Rosamond, the share who binge drink is 18%. Against the California average, Rosamond comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 19. Nearly a quarter of adults in Rosamond worry about having enough food; 71% had a checkup this year.
28%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Rosamond | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 17% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 16% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 72% | 79% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better12 too close to call19 worse
| What stands out | Rosamond | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.7% | 6.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 11.1% | 7.3% |
Antelope Valley Hospital
12.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
21st
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Rosamond: mild winters and hot summers
The Mojave weather station, 13 miles away, records that about 110 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 97.8°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 33°.
Its January low comes in at 33°F. About 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–59°
Spring46–74°
Summer65–96°
Fall48–79°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearby attractions
All 173 attractions →Six Flags Magic Mountain and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rosamond. Close and well known come first.
Big draw38 mi Theme parkSix Flags Magic Mountain3.3M visitors a year
Big draw28 mi DamSt. Francis Dam
27 mi Park & preserveVasquez Rocks
21 mi LandmarkBalls 8
37 mi National forestAngeles National Forest
14 mi State parkAntelope Valley California Poppy ReserveSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Six Flags Magic Mountain: Alton, CC BY 3.0 · St. Francis Dam: Stearns, H.T. USGS, Public domain · Vasquez Rocks: Thomas from USA, CC BY 2.0 · Balls 8: NASA/Tony Landis, Public domain · Angeles National Forest: Geographer at en.wikipedia, CC BY 1.0 · Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: Thomas, CC BY 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rosamond
17pages on Rosamond
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Rosamond
About 6 of every 100 Rosamond residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Get outside
198 miles of trails in Rosamond
0.8% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
1
Jim Williford Community Park0.5 mi of trails · 5 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Rosamond
Unincorporated community in Kern County, California
Rosamond is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California, US, near the Los Angeles county line. Rosamond is part of Greater Los Angeles and is located in the Mojave Desert just north of Lancaster and Palmdale, the two largest cities in the Antelope Valley. As of the 2020 Census, Rosamond's population was 20,961. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Rosamond as a census-designated place (CDP). Rosamond is a suburban bedroom community with many residents employed by nearby Edwards Air Force Base or commuting to Los Angeles, Lancaster, and Palmdale for work. The town is about 15 minutes north of the Lancaster Metrolink station providing direct access …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 52 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,516 ft
- ZIP code
- 93560
- Area code
- 661
Questions about Rosamond
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rosamond, CA a good place to live?
Rosamond grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #827 of 841 in California. It grades C for health and C for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Rosamond, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.