The Town FilesMojave, California
Community in Kern County · population 4,699 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,600
- Household income
- $55,660
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 97°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 31.1
Mojave is a community of 4,699 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $213,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 80% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of California towns.
How Mojave ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mojave is worth $213,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $55,660, which is more affordable than 93% of California towns. Median rent is $1,214 a month. 38.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mojave | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,214 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $55,660 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 38.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mojave
| People | Mojave | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Mojave
July highs average 97.2°F and January lows 32.8°F. About 5.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 110 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mojave since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 1, 2007 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2007.
Severe weather in Kern County since 1996
Kern County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2024 | Fire | FM-5522: Borel Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 25, 2021 | Fire | FM-5416: French Fire |
Jobs and pay in Kern County
Kern County had 347,664 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,066 a year. Unemployment was 8.3% in 2023; in Mojave itself the ACS puts it at 17.8%.
Public schools in Mojave
3 public schools with 750 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mojave Elementary | K-5 | 386 | 22.7 |
| Mojave Jr./Sr. High | 6-12 | 364 | 19.2 |
| Kern County ROP | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Mojave
- Rosamond, CA10.4 mi · 20,961 people · home $352,600
- Tehachapi, CA17.0 mi · 12,939 people · home $355,500
- Golden Hills, CA19.3 mi · 9,578 people · home $410,300
- California City, CA20.3 mi · 14,973 people · home $278,000
- Lancaster, CA22.2 mi · 173,516 people · home $446,600
- Quartz Hill, CA25.1 mi · 11,447 people · home $485,300
- Stallion Springs, CA27.0 mi · 3,139 people · home $432,500
- Bear Valley Springs, CA29.4 mi · 5,592 people · home $496,200
Mojave questions
Is Mojave, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mojave scores better for retirees than 21% of California towns and quieter than 60%. 8.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Mojave?
The median owner-occupied home in Mojave is valued at $213,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,660, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,214 a month.
What is the weather like in Mojave?
July highs average 97.2°F and January lows 32.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 5.8 inches of precipitation a year and 1.2 inches of snow.
Does Mojave get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Mojave since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 1, 2007. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)