The Town FilesShafter, California
City in Kern County · population 19,953 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $335,800
- Household income
- $71,215
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 28.1
Shafter is a city of 19,953 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $335,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 88% of California towns, more walkable than 74% of California towns.
How Shafter 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 Shafter is worth $335,800, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $71,215, which is more affordable than 82% of California towns. Median rent is $1,253 a month. 64.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shafter | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $335,800 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,253 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $71,215 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Shafter
| People | Shafter | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 33.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 93.3% |
Weather in Shafter
July highs average 96.1°F and January lows 36.5°F. About 7.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 114 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 35 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Shafter since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on April 24, 2016.
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 Shafter itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Shafter
8 public schools with 5,368 students, about 20.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shafter High | 9-12 | 1,655 | 22.7 |
| Grow Academy Shafter (charter) | K-8 | 810 | 26.1 |
| Golden Oak Elementary | K-6 | 713 | 17.8 |
| Redwood Elementary | K-6 | 637 | 19.3 |
| Sequoia Elementary | K-6 | 588 | 18.4 |
| Richland Junior High | 7-8 | 585 | 17.2 |
| Maple Elementary | K-8 | 285 | 23.8 |
| Central Valley High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 95 | 15.8 |
Towns near Shafter
- Rosedale, CA6.3 mi · 18,639 people · home $608,900
- Greenacres, CA8.1 mi · 5,496 people · home $351,800
- Oildale, CA10.2 mi · 36,135 people · home $238,800
- Wasco, CA12.2 mi · 27,047 people · home $273,600
- Old Stine, CA12.6 mi · 3,841 people · home $235,400
- Bakersfield, CA12.7 mi · 403,455 people · home $371,700
- McFarland, CA13.1 mi · 14,161 people · home $272,700
- La Cresta, CA13.2 mi · 8,787 people · home $262,000
Shafter questions
Is Shafter, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shafter scores better for retirees than 5% of California towns and quieter than 11%. 7.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.1).
How much does a house cost in Shafter?
The median owner-occupied home in Shafter is valued at $335,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,215, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $1,253 a month.
What is the weather like in Shafter?
July highs average 96.1°F and January lows 36.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Shafter get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Shafter in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)