Kern County Profile
Kern County is often referred to as “The Golden Empire,” because of its rich history of gold, oil and agricultural production. Kern is the nation’s #1 agricultural producing county and consistently ranks in the top-five petroleum-producing counties in the United States. The county is host to major freeway systems, providing access across California and beyond! Kern has become the distribution hub for some of the world’s largest companies with over 50 distribution centers. It has the largest wind and solar projects in the U.S. and is a 4 hour drive from 90% of state’s population. Kern is home to Mojave Air and Space Port, Edwards AFB, and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center.
Kern County Economy Overview
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916,108
Population
380,413
Total Regional Employment
$58,800
Medial Household Income
Top Private Employers 2020
| Company Name | Number of Employees |
|---|---|
| Amazon | 5,000 |
| Grimmway Farms | 4,000 |
| Wonderful Company | 3,800 |
| Dignity Health | 3,300 |
| Guimarra Companies | 3,000 |
| Dreyer’s Ice Cream | 1,200 |
| Ross Dress For Less Distribution | 1,200 |
| Aera Energy | 1,100 |
| Chevron | 1,000 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 1,000 |
| Target Distribution | 1,000 |
| Rio Tinto Minerals | 800 |
| California Resources Corporation | 750 |
Top Public Employers 2020
| Company Name | Number of Employees |
|---|---|
| County of Kern | 260,000 |
| City of Bakersfield | 183,350 |
| Naval Air Warfare | 4,100 |
| Edwards Air Force Base | 4,000 |
| Kern County High School District | 3,500 |
| Kern County Superintendent of Schools | 1,500 |
| California State University, Bakersfield | 1,200 |
Full List of Employers Click Here
Top Real Estate Deals 2022-23
- Plant Prefab, Modular home manufacturer, 270,000 sf located at Tejon Ranch Commerce Center, 440 jobs
- Smucker, leases a 1,000,000 sf building at the Wonderful Industrial Park, Shafter, 150 jobs
- Building Materials Manufacturing Corporation, which does business as GAF, expanded to 309,681 sf distribution facility at Wonderful Industrial Park
- Sunrise Brands, leases 446,000 sf distribution facility at Tejon Ranch Commerce Center
- Titan Cold Storage, leased 100,000 sf of existing cold storage space located in City of Delano, CA
- The Garlic Company, leased 200,000 sf of cold storage to expand their cold storage distribution, Kern County
Highlights of Utility Infrastructure
- Pacific Gas & Electric provides utilities throughout the majority of County.
- Southern California Edison also provides electric to some areas
- Southern California Gas Company is a gas (utility) provider