Tupman California guide sign and post office, c. 2007
Tupman’s story
105 years in pictures
Census counts: 227 in 2000, 177 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2007 and 6 maps from 1929 on.
- 1921Tupman is settled
TupmanCA
Settled in 1921, this town now has 157 residents.
Photo: w:en:David Jordan (talk | contribs) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Is Tupman a good place to live?
40% of residents live below the poverty line in Tupman, above both the California town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Tupman has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
157 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Tupman.
Natural hazards
Tupman has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from earthquakes
88risk score of 100
Compared with 88% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Tupman is higher. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 60% come from earthquakes and 24% from inland flooding.
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingHeat waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Tupman’s kids attend
The Elk Hills Elementary school district runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Tupman’s public school: 159 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Hills ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 159 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
The climate in Tupman brings mild winters and hot summers
98°summer high
July afternoons reach 98°, January nights drop to 40° and snow is almost unheard of.
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–61°
Spring51–78°
Summer66–96°
Fall53–80°
Nov 26
typical first frost
Feb 9
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Tupman stands out in California and nationally: a larger share of its adults smoke cigarettes
The share of adults in Tupman who worry about having enough food is 24%. Only 4 of the 848 California towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Tupman.
| Tupman | Typical California town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 22% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 11% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
0 better10 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Tupman | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 24.3% | 10.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.3% | 5.1% |
| More smokers | 19.6% | 10.9% |
Mercy Hospital
19.3 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 Tupman
14pages on Tupman
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Tupman: who provides what
Tupman 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
Internet4 providers3% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKern CountyKern County provides services here
SchoolsElk Hills Elementary School DistrictTaft Union High School District2 districts serve Tupman; 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 code9327693276 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.
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Tupman
Taft CollegeCommunity college · Public · Taft11.8 mi$1,108 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield14.7 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Tupman residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Tupman
Place in California, United States
Tupman is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Tupman is located 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 331 feet (101 m). The population was 177 at the 2020 census, up from 161 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 331 ft
- ZIP code
- 93276
- Area code
- 661
Questions about Tupman
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Tupman, CA a good place to live?
Tupman has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Tupman is in here
Say something about Tupman.
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