The Burning of the Sky, 2010
South Taft’s story
South Taft in pictures
Census counts: 1,910 in 1960, 2,100 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2010 and 2 maps from 1950 on.
Explore the history →South TaftCA
A town of 2,939.
Population
2,939
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$185K
Census ACS
Household income
$43K
median
Median age
26.1
years
Jobs based here
156
A commuter town
TownGrade
D−
#717 of 841 in CA
Is South Taft a good place to live?
South Taft earns a D−, 717th among California's 841 graded towns, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $43K, and 35% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 85% of the country. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 70% of U.S. towns. 35% of residents live below the poverty line in South Taft, above both the California town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 40 of California’s 1,058 towns score higher on cost of living. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 83% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top.
What makes South Taft stand out
Where South Taft beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave South Taft for work
Where South Taft’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
156jobs based in South Taft
3%of working residents work in town
30 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How South Taft grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far South Taft is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →HealthMercy Hospital 29.6 miles awayC−Open →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 13.2% of households have no carB+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $185K, 2.6 years of the Bakersfield metro’s $70K median household incomeBOpen →
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.
ClimateMild winters, 97° summer afternoons–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 26.1; 8% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to South Taft: who provides what
South Taft is unincorporated, so Kern County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Kern Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
SchoolsTaft City School DistrictTaft Union High School District2 districts serve South Taft; 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 code9326893268 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 South Taft.
South Taft has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
OutdoorsB−
South Taft has set aside 0.7% of its land for conservation
3.2 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. South Taft’s trail density is 2.9 miles per square mile.
#88for trails in CA
| South Taft | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 2.9 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
0.7%
conserved · 5 of 687 acres
3.2 mi
of trails · 2.9 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC−
On state tests, South Taft’s schools trail 81% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Taft City school district. Its one school is below.
19%of CA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conley ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–3 | Grades K–3 | 306 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
More of South Taft’s adults report frequent mental distress than in the typical California or U.S. town
The nearest emergency room, Mercy Hospital, is 29.6 miles away in a straight line. Against the 3,357 U.S. towns with household incomes like South Taft’s, it is healthier than 54%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
23% of South Taft adults report frequent mental distress. South Taft beats the California average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19. 31% of South Taft adults say their health is fair or poor.
15%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| South Taft | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. California
2 better11 too close to call19 worse
| What stands out | South Taft | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 31.2% | 35.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14% | 7.3% |
Mercy Hospital
29.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
11th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in South Taft, with earthquakes at the top
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Most working residents commute out of South Taft
South Taft has 156 jobs for its 566 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here fell from 398 in 2013 to 156.
Most working residents leave South Taft for work: only 3% work in town. The average trip to work in South Taft is 37 minutes. Jobs based in South Taft fell to 156 in 2023, 242 fewer than in 2013.
3%work in town
| South Taft | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 37 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 6.6% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In South Taft3%
Taft19%
Bakersfield16%
Los Angeles4%
Wasco2%
30 mi
median commute distance
156
jobs based in South Taft
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in South Taft
The Taft weather station records that about 113 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 97.3°, hotter than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.5°.
South Taft has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
97°summer high
| South Taft | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 97°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 40°F | 41°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–61°
Spring50–76°
Summer64–95°
Fall53–80°
Dec 17
typical first frost
Jan 24
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
97°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B
South Taft stands out in California and nationally, with the median rent lower than most
At 2.6 years of the Bakersfield metro’s $70K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 99% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living. 68.5% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 55.3% across California.
40% of households own their home in South Taft.
$162Kmedian sale price
| South Taft | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 40% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $955 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Taft
17pages on South Taft
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of South Taft
About 7 of every 100 South Taft residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
About South Taft
Census-designated place in California, United States
South Taft is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. South Taft is located 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of Taft, at an elevation of 1,017 feet (310 m). The population was 2,100 at the 2020 census, down from 2,169 at the time of the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,017 ft
- Area code
- 661
South Taft’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with South Taft.
TaftTaft HeightsSouth Taft
How the neighbors grade
| Town | CA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Taft | #717 | D− | B | — | C− | C− |
| Taft | #743 | D− | C | D | C− | C |
| Taft Heights | — | — | C+ | — | C− | D |
Taft Heights has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. South Taft and Taft Heights report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare South Taft with a neighbor →
Questions about South Taft
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Taft, CA a good place to live?
South Taft grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #717 of 841 in California. It grades C− for health and C− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is South Taft, CA expensive?
The typical home is worth about $185,000, 76% below the California typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.