County FMR · HUD FY2026

Kern County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Kern County, CA - 19% above the US average.

$1,140
1-bedroom FMR
$1,483
2-bedroom FMR
+7.1%
YoY change
+19%
vs US avg

The verdict

Kern is the 15th cheapest of 58 counties in California by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #472 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#472
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#15
cheapest of 58 in California (2BR)
-31%
vs the state average
$45,600
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (37%); nearby California counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Kern County, CA. Verify with HUD →

Kern County, California carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,140 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,483/mo and a studio is $1,132/mo. That's 19% above the national benchmark of $959 and 31% below the California average of $1,647.

Rent increased7.1% from FY 2025 ($1,064), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $45,600/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 52.0% of the 113,095 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in California. Population: 906,883. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's faster than California's statewide growth of +0.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area KERN·COUNTY·CA·CA

Kern County, CA: $1,140/mo 1BR · #472 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA CA
  • 1BR-FMR $1,140
  • 2BR-FMR $1,483
  • RANK-MID #472
  • YOY-SURGE +7.1%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +19%
  • VS-ST-LOW -31% CA
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-MAJOR 907K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Los Angeles County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,026–$1,254
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Los Angeles ($945 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $1,513 · US avg: $893
$1,132/mo
↑ 7.0% YoY -25% vs state +27% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,647 · US avg: $959
$1,140/mo
↑ 7.1% YoY -31% vs state +19% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $2,053 · US avg: $1,175
$1,483/mo
↑ 7.5% YoY -28% vs state +26% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $2,752 · US avg: $1,525
$2,062/mo
↑ 6.6% YoY -25% vs state +35% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $3,165 · US avg: $1,756
$2,488/mo
↑ 7.4% YoY -21% vs state +42% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $1,058
$1,132
+$74 (+7.0%)
1 Bedroom $1,064
$1,140
+$76 (+7.1%)
2 Bedroom $1,380
$1,483
+$103 (+7.5%)
3 Bedroom $1,934
$2,062
+$128 (+6.6%)
4 Bedroom $2,317
$2,488
+$171 (+7.4%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Kern County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
20.1%
Affordable
Need $45,280/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.2%
Affordable
Need $45,600/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
26.3%
Affordable
Need $59,320/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
36.6%
Burdened
Need $82,480/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
44.1%
Burdened
Need $99,520/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%26.3%
Kern County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $67,660 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View California rent burden →

Where Kern sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,483 Top 15% higher than 85% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Kern compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other California counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Kern is highlighted. Nearby California counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Santa Clara County ($2,982), Orange County ($2,746), San Diego County ($2,459), Los Angeles County ($2,085), Riverside County ($1,777), San Bernardino County ($1,777), Kern County (this county) ($1,140).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,140/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using California BLS wages?

Occupation CA Salary Rent Burden Verdict
Software Developers $170,910 8% Affordable
Registered Nurses $140,330 9.7% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $125,240 10.9% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $115,400 11.9% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $98,190 13.9% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $96,360 14.2% Affordable
Electricians $76,540 17.9% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $72,960 18.8% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,950 22.8% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $49,640 27.6% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $47,790 28.6% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $45,460 30.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $38,640 35.4% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $37,250 36.7% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $37,010 37% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (California) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Kern County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Kern (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 57.0% overall, from $726 to $1,140. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +12.6% in FY 2023, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,140
Kern County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑7.1% $1,132 $1,140 $1,483
FY 2025 ↑10.0% $1,058 $1,064 $1,380
FY 2024 ↑11.3% $960 $967 $1,258
FY 2023 ↑12.6% $863 $869 $1,137
FY 2022 ↑3.9% $763 $772 $1,013
FY 2021 ↑2.3% $734 $743 $970
FY 2020 $711 $726 $946
Total change (6yr): +57.0%
Annualized: +7.8%/yr
1 BR: $726 → $1,140

Part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA Metro Area

Kern County is a central county of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Kern County, both outside California so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside CA (FY2026).

Washington County
VT · 2 BR $1,482/mo
Lincoln County
OR · 2 BR $1,480/mo
Gila County
AZ · 2 BR $1,479/mo
Grand County
CO · 2 BR $1,475/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside CA).

Johnston County
NC · 26.3% of income · 2 BR $1,750/mo
Potter County
TX · 26.3% of income · 2 BR $1,106/mo
Baker County
GA · 26.3% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
San Augustine County
TX · 26.3% of income · 2 BR $1,015/mo

Nearby Counties in California

Largest counties by population in California

Showing the 8 largest of 57 other counties in California.

Los Angeles County
1 BR: $2,085/mo Pop: 9,936,690
San Diego County
1 BR: $2,459/mo Pop: 3,289,701
Orange County
1 BR: $2,746/mo Pop: 3,175,227
Riverside County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,429,487
San Bernardino County
1 BR: $1,777/mo Pop: 2,180,563
Santa Clara County
1 BR: $2,982/mo Pop: 1,916,831
Alameda County
1 BR: $2,385/mo Pop: 1,663,823
Sacramento County
1 BR: $1,832/mo Pop: 1,579,211
View all counties in California →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Kern County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Kern County is $1,140 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,483 and a studio is $1,132.
How does Kern County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Kern County is 19% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,140 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Kern County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Kern County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,483 ranks #472 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Kern County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $45,600 ($3,800/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Kern County.
Is rent going up or down in Kern County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kern County increased by 7.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,064 to $1,140.
Which jobs can afford rent in Kern County? ▼
Based on California BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, Registered Nurses, General and Operations Managers can afford a 1-bedroom at $1,140/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Kern County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Kern County went from $726 in FY 2020 to $1,140 in FY 2026, a total change of +57.0% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Kern County? ▼
In Kern County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,140/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Kern County? ▼
For Kern County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,140/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.