Kern Property Tax Rate by City
The Kern County property tax rate isn't one number — it's the 1% Proposition 13 base plus each area's voter-approved debt, so it varies by community. Below is the typical ad-valorem rate for 28 Kern County cities, from the county Controller's rate book, with a typical assessed value and bill for each. Pick your city and home value to estimate your own bill, or search the table.
Quick answer: across 28 Kern County cities the typical property tax rate runs about 1.0981%–1.2084% of assessed value (median 1.1638%). It's highest in Rosamond at 1.2721% and lowest in Maricopa at 1.0521%.
Ad-valorem only (excludes Mello-Roos and parcel taxes); a typical rate for the city, not your parcel's exact Tax Rate Area.
Arvin — typical rate 1.1479%
$18,366 / year
Ad-valorem only — excludes Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments. Your exact rate depends on your parcel's Tax Rate Area, not just the city.
Typical assessed value & bill in Arvin, by property type
| Property type | Typical value | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family home | $173,000 | $1,986 |
| Residential income (2–4 units) | $191,768 | $2,201 |
Existing-owner Proposition 13 values (medians), not a buyer's price.
About Arvin: ~4,356 parcels; 46 Tax Rate Areas.
Highest and lowest property tax cities in Kern County
Ranked by typical ad-valorem rate (1% Proposition 13 base plus each area's voter-approved debt). A higher rate reflects more voter-approved school and municipal bonds in that community — not a higher assessment.
| Highest rates · City | Rate |
|---|---|
| Rosamond | 1.2721% |
| California City | 1.2084% |
| Taft | 1.1839% |
| McFarland | 1.1771% |
| Wasco | 1.1655% |
| Lowest rates · City | Rate |
|---|---|
| Maricopa | 1.0521% |
| Pine Mountain Club | 1.082% |
| Lebec | 1.082% |
| Frazier Park | 1.082% |
| Weldon | 1.0981% |
Showing 28 of 28 cities.
| City / community | Typical rate | Typical home value | Typical annual tax | Rate areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arvin | 1.1479% | $173,000 | $1,986 | 46 |
| Bakersfield | 1.1116–1.2052% | $270,000 | $3,142 | 1164 |
| Bodfish | 1.1444% | $137,437 | $1,573 | 9 |
| Boron | 1.1625% | $70,273 | $817 | 12 |
| Buttonwillow | 1.1561% | $116,448 | $1,346 | 48 |
| California City | 1.2084% | $183,273 | $2,215 | 25 |
| Delano | 1.1364% | $177,305 | $2,015 | 53 |
| Frazier Park | 1.082% | $209,712 | $2,269 | 14 |
| Inyokern | 1.1567% | $182,955 | $2,116 | 9 |
| Kernville | 1.1444% | $244,626 | $2,799 | 12 |
| Lake Isabella | 1.1444% | $146,897 | $1,681 | 21 |
| Lamont | 1.1277–1.1418% | $113,716 | $1,298 | 48 |
| Lebec | 1.082% | $256,144 | $2,771 | 23 |
| Lost Hills | 1.1443–1.1462% | $132,646 | $1,520 | 29 |
| Maricopa | 1.0521% | $89,236 | $939 | 18 |
| McFarland | 1.1771% | $183,019 | $2,154 | 52 |
| Mojave | 1.1021–1.2084% | $111,664 | $1,231 | 46 |
| North Edwards | 1.1625% | $100,016 | $1,163 | 7 |
| Pine Mountain Club | 1.0352–1.082% | $297,169 | $3,215 | 5 |
| Ridgecrest | 1.1567% | $210,667 | $2,437 | 21 |
| Rosamond | 1.2721% | $267,499 | $3,403 | 81 |
| Shafter | 1.0948–1.1612% | $288,074 | $3,345 | 126 |
| South Lake | 1.0981% | $204,053 | $2,241 | 10 |
| Taft | 1.1839% | $127,076 | $1,504 | 50 |
| Tehachapi | 1.1463% | $314,660 | $3,607 | 101 |
| Wasco | 1.1655% | $186,284 | $2,171 | 89 |
| Weldon | 1.0981% | $153,934 | $1,690 | 15 |
| Wofford Heights | 1.1444% | $175,000 | $2,003 | 5 |
How precise is this? A city spans several Tax Rate Areas, so the figure above is typical for the city, not your parcel's exact rate. To see the exact rate by Tax Rate Area — or look up your parcel by APN — use the Kern rate explorer →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Kern County by city?
Across Kern County the ad-valorem property tax rate for most cities runs about 1.0981% to 1.2084% of assessed value, with a median near 1.1638% — the 1% Proposition 13 base plus each area's voter-approved debt. It's highest in Rosamond (1.2721%) and lowest in Maricopa (1.0521%), because voter-approved school, city, and special-district bonds differ from area to area.
Why is Kern property tax shown by city and not by ZIP code?
Kern County's public parcel file publishes each parcel's situs city but not its situs ZIP code, and its mailing ZIP is protected taxpayer information we don't use. So this page keys the typical rate and bill on the situs city — the honest use of the data the county actually publishes. Within a city, rates still vary by Tax Rate Area; use the rate explorer to see your exact TRA or look up your parcel by APN.
Why does the property tax rate differ by city?
The 1% Proposition 13 base is the same everywhere, but each Tax Rate Area adds its own voter-approved bond debt — school districts, the Kern Community College District, the Kern County Water Agency and local water districts, and city bonds. Cities in areas with more approved bonds have higher total rates. A single city spans several Tax Rate Areas, so the figure shown is typical for the city, not your parcel's exact rate.
Are Mello-Roos and special assessments included in these rates?
No. These are ad-valorem rates only (the 1% base plus voter-approved debt). Mello-Roos / Community Facilities District special taxes, parcel taxes, and fixed direct assessments are billed separately and can add hundreds to a few thousand dollars a year.
Are the typical values single-family only?
The headline typical value and bill are for single-family homes. Where there's enough data, the calculator also shows condos/townhouses and 2–4 unit residential-income properties for your city, using each type's median assessed value from the Kern Assessor use code — an existing-owner Proposition 13 figure, not a buyer's price.
Learn More
Educational estimates only, not official bills. Rates are ad-valorem only (excluding Mello-Roos, parcel taxes, and fixed direct assessments) and are typical for the city, not your parcel's exact Tax Rate Area. Typical values are existing-owner Proposition 13 figures, not a buyer's price. Source: Kern County Auditor-Controller property tax rate book and the Kern County Assessor parcel roll (2025).