Kern County property tax
Homeowners in Kern County, California typically pay about 0.88% of their home's value in property tax each year — a median bill of $2,984 on a median home value of $338,300.
Typical effective rate
0.88%
higher than 44% of U.S. counties
Median tax paid
$2,984
per year
Median home value
$338,300
In CA
#1
of 58 ranked counties
At a glance
- Effective rate 0.88% — 6% lower than the U.S. median of 0.94%, and 26% higher than the California median of 0.70%.
- With vs. without a mortgage — median tax $3,344 for mortgaged homes, $2,348 for homes owned outright.
- State ranking — 1st highest effective rate of 58 ranked California counties; nationally it sits around the 56th percentile.
Estimate a bill for Kern County
Apply this county's typical effective rate (0.88%) to a home value of your choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Kern County, CA?
The typical effective property-tax rate in Kern County is 0.88% of a home's value per year, based on median taxes paid ($2,984) divided by the median home value ($338,300) in the Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. This is a typical burden for comparison, not a statutory mill rate.
How much is property tax on a typical home in Kern County?
The median owner-occupied home in Kern County is valued at $338,300, and the median real estate tax paid is $2,984 per year. Homes with a mortgage have a median tax of $3,344, versus $2,348 for homes without one.
How does Kern County compare to the rest of California?
Kern County's effective rate is 26% higher than the California median, ranking 1st of 58 ranked counties in the state.
Compare nearby California counties
Counties ranked closest to Kern County by in-state effective rate. Open the comparison tool or see all California counties.
| In-state | County | Effective rate | Median tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Placer County | 0.84% | $5,812 |
| 3 | Contra Costa County | 0.83% | $7,156 |
| 4 | San Benito County | 0.81% | $6,441 |
| 5 | Riverside County | 0.78% | $4,348 |
| 6 | Alameda County | 0.78% | $8,474 |
| 7 | Imperial County | 0.77% | $2,394 |
Official data & resources for Kern County
- Kern County Census profile (data.census.gov) — housing, value and tax figures for this county.
- Table B25103 for Kern County — median real estate taxes paid (the source for the tax figures above).
- Table B25077 for Kern County — median home value.
- Federal forms & is property tax deductible? — IRS Pub 530, Schedule A and the SALT cap, plus your state tax agency.
Finding your exact bill
Your county or municipal assessor (sometimes called the appraisal district, property appraiser, or tax collector) sets the assessed value and the exact millage that produces your bill. Search for "[county name] [state] assessor" or "property tax" on an official .gov site.
Figures on this page are Census survey medians for the whole county (2020–2024 5-year), not an assessment of any individual property. Rates, exemptions and assessment practices vary by municipality and school district within a county.