Demographics
Racial Composition
Key Takeaways
- 72.8% White population — higher than California average (36.5%)
- 20.5% Hispanic/Latino — growing demographic, up from 15% in 2010
- 9.7% multiracial — reflects military community diversity
Veteran Population
Key Takeaways
- 16.9% veterans — 3× national average (5.8%)
- 4,096 veterans in a town of 33,490
- Direct economic impact from NAWS China Lake employment
Economy
Employment Status
Key Takeaways
- 9% unemployment — above California average (5.2%)
- 62.1% labor force participation — typical for rural area
- 1,267 civilians unemployed — potential story angle on job scarcity
Income & Poverty
Key Takeaways
- $81,824 median income — solid for Kern County
- 11.6% poverty rate — slightly below state average (12.6%)
- Income likely skewed by military/government employment
Housing
Home Values vs Rent
Key Takeaways
- $222,800 median home — 67% below California median
- $1,139 median rent — affordable relative to income
- 62.7% homeownership — stable, rooted community
Housing Occupancy
Key Takeaways
- 14,622 total housing units for 33,490 people
- 62.7% owner-occupied, 37.3% renter-occupied
- Potential vacancy issues — needs deeper investigation
Education
Educational Attainment
Key Takeaways
- Only 13.7% have bachelor's or higher (vs 35% nationally)
- 57.6% have some college or associate — "some college" culture
- 8.5% lack high school diploma — potential workforce gap
Health
Health Insurance Coverage
Key Takeaways
- 10.4% uninsured — higher than national 8.6%
- 35.7% on public coverage — high Medicaid/Medicare dependency
- Rural healthcare access challenges likely
Crime
Crime Rates (per 1,000 people)
Key Takeaways
- Total crime rate 21.3/1000 — below CA average of 25.1/1000
- Violent crime very low at 2.8/1000
- Property crime dominates (18.5/1000) — mostly larceny-theft
Violent Crime Breakdown
Key Takeaways
- Aggravated assault is 68% of violent crime
- Murder rate nearly zero (0.03/1000)
- Safe by California standards — story angle on rural safety
Commute Patterns
Transportation Mode
Key Takeaways
- 77.2% drive alone — car-dependent desert town
- 9.6% carpool — higher than average, suggests military coordination
- Near-zero public transit (0.3%) — no viable alternative