Population927,068 (2025 est.)
Working Valley Roots and a Distinctive Country Sound
Kern County, CaliforniaKern County connects the southern San Joaquin Valley with mountain and desert landscapes farther east. Bakersfield, the county seat, is closely associated with agriculture, oil production and the Bakersfield Sound, a distinctive chapter in country music. Those themes meet in local museums and cultural destinations, while the wider county reaches into very different terrain. Begin with a particular region or interest to discover how work, migration and landscape have shaped this part of California.
Kern County at a Glance
Population927,068 (2025 est.)
County SeatBakersfield
Largest cityBakersfield
Established1866
ZIP CodesSee postal resources
Total Area, Including Water8,165 sq mi (total)
Major RoutesSee transportation resources
Area CodesVaries by community
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Kern County
Bakersfield developed from a settlement along the Kern River into an agricultural and transportation center. Oil production added another major industry, while migration brought people and musical traditions that helped create the Bakersfield Sound. Artists including Buck Owens and Merle Haggard became closely associated with that style. The Kern County Museum offers a place to connect those cultural and industrial stories with local history, placing the city's music within the wider experience of a working valley community.
A Bakersfield-centered visit can combine the Kern County Museum with an interest in the city's country-music heritage and Basque dining tradition. These are related parts of local identity, shaped by the people who made their homes in the region. The county's mountain and desert areas offer other possibilities beyond the valley. Keep those geographic differences in mind when selecting stops, giving each part of this extensive county its own room in the itinerary.
What Shapes Us
The Bakersfield Sound
The country-music style associated with Buck Owens and Merle Haggard connects Bakersfield with a national musical story rooted in the communities of the Central Valley.
Working Valley Heritage
Agriculture, petroleum production and transportation helped shape Bakersfield's development, providing context for the local histories interpreted by the Kern County Museum and other cultural destinations.
Several Landscapes
Valley, mountain and desert settings all form part of Kern County, so choosing a region is a useful first step when planning local exploration.
Hear the local story in music, work and place.
A Closer Look
Kern County
Places and perspectives from Kern County
Kern County headlines via Google News
Election Day in Kern County — what you need to know - Bakersfield.com
Election Day in Kern County — what you need to know Bakersfield.com
Read the Story Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Around Kern County
Stories from every corner of Kern County.
Election Day in Kern County — what you need to know - Bakersfield.com
Election Day in Kern County — what you need to know Bakersfield.com
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Golden eagle flies free once again in California after being hit by vehicle - KTLA
Golden eagle flies free once again in California after being hit by vehicle KTLA
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
Counties’ Election Day rules may block news coverage of voting, civil rights groups warn - CalMatters
Counties’ Election Day rules may block news coverage of voting, civil rights groups warn CalMatters
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
DOJ sends Kern County Letter Claiming 431 Registered Voters may be Noncitizens - The Runner Online
DOJ sends Kern County Letter Claiming 431 Registered Voters may be Noncitizens The Runner Online
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
4 people die in separate Bakersfield crashes and shootings during deadly Halloween weekend span - 23ABC News Bakersfield
4 people die in separate Bakersfield crashes and shootings during deadly Halloween weekend span 23ABC News Bakersfield
Nov 2, 2026 • 2 min read
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Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
County Resources
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
Government
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
Bear Mountain Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-06. 1501 Hood St., Arvin, CA 93203. 661-854-6590.
Bessie E. Owens Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-06. 815 Potomac Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93307. 661-631-5420.
Beardsley Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-06. 1001 Roberts Ln., Bakersfield, CA 93308. 661-392-1417.
Blake Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-08. 19165 Main St., Woody, CA 93287. 661-536-8559.
Blue Ridge Academy – Other; grades KG-12. 955 Stanislaus St., Maricopa, CA 93252. 661-412-9363.
Buttonwillow Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-08. 42600 Hwy 58, Buttonwillow, CA 93206. 661-764-5166.
Piute Mountain Elementary – Elementary; grades KG-08. 12400 Caliente Creek Rd., Caliente, CA 93518. 661-867-2301.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Adventist Health Bakersfield – Acute Care Hospitals. 2615 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. 661-395-3000.
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital – Acute Care Hospitals. 420 34Th St, Bakersfield, CA 93301. 661-327-1792.
Good Samaritan Hospital, Lp – Acute Care Hospitals. 901 Olive Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308. 661-215-7500.
Kern Medical Center – Acute Care Hospitals. 1700 Mount Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93306. 661-326-2000.
Mercy Hospital – Acute Care Hospitals. 2215 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. 661-632-5000.
Adventist Health Delano – Acute Care Hospitals. 1401 Garces Highway, Delano, CA 93215. 661-725-4800.
Kern Valley Healthcare District – Critical Access Hospitals. 6412 Laurel Ave, Lake Isabella, CA 93240. 760-379-2681.
Public Safety
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Emergency Services
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Parks & Public Lands
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Trails
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Utilities
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Libraries
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
Beale Memorial Library – 701 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. 661-868-0701.
Shafter Library And Learning Center – 236 James Street, Suite 2, Shafter, CA 93263. 661-746-2156.
Arvin Branch Library – 201 Campus Drive, Arvin, CA 93203. 661-854-5934.
Boron Branch Library – 26967 Twenty Mule Team Road, Boron, CA 93516. 760-762-5606.
Buttonwillow Branch Library – 101 Main St, Buttonwillow, CA 93206. 661-764-5337.
California City Branch Library – 9507 California City Blvd., California City, CA 93505. 760-373-4757.
Delano Branch Library – 925 Tenth Avenue, Delano, CA 93215. 661-725-1078.
Courts
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
DMV
California — Locations & Hours
California — Renew Registration
Transportation
Start with the county’s public information and department directory for local contacts and service information.
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know Kern County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Local Questions
Kern County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
927,068 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
8,164.919 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
It is a distinctive country-music style associated with performers such as Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. It developed alongside the city’s working communities and migration history. Visit California’s Bakersfield overview.
No. The county also extends into mountain and desert landscapes. A Bakersfield-based visit covers a different setting from an outing farther east, so plan around the particular area you want to explore. Kern County geographic background.
Start with these official California resources: Renew DL/ID; Locations & Hours; Renew Registration. Choose the page for the service you need, then check its office or online instructions before making a trip. These links cover state services; they do not establish that every transaction is available at a county office.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
The VA explains how to find and appoint an accredited representative for benefit claims. Contact a representative to confirm availability before appointing them. For education benefits, use the GI Bill application guidance. These are national VA services available to eligible local residents, rather than a listing of county offices.
Search USAJOBS for federal positions and the Apprenticeship Finder for apprenticeship opportunities, using location filters to narrow the results. USAGov job-training guidance points to training programs and state resources. Check each listing for current availability, eligibility and application instructions; a search result does not guarantee an opening in the county.
Bakersfield developed from a settlement along the Kern River into an agricultural and transportation center. Oil production added another major industry, while migration brought people and musical traditions that helped create the Bakersfield Sound. Artists including Buck Owens and Merle Haggard became closely associated with that style. The Kern County Museum offers a place to connect those cultural and industrial stories with local history, placing the city's music within the wider experience of a working valley community.
A Bakersfield-centered visit can combine the Kern County Museum with an interest in the city's country-music heritage and Basque dining tradition. These are related parts of local identity, shaped by the people who made their homes in the region. The county's mountain and desert areas offer other possibilities beyond the valley. Keep those geographic differences in mind when selecting stops, giving each part of this extensive county its own room in the itinerary.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 8,134.646 square miles of land and 30.273 square miles of water in Kern County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
My Local Guide
Local Businesses
Businesses Serving Kern CountyExplore the businesses listed for this county.
Businesses serving Kern County
Additional county facts: county overview and references.
Connect with local businesses.Kern County