The Town FilesGolden Hills, California
Community in Kern County · population 9,578 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $410,300
- Household income
- $95,669
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 37.3
Golden Hills is a community of 9,578 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $410,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 79% of California towns, better for families than 77% of California towns, easier by car than 71% of California towns.
How Golden Hills 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 Golden Hills is worth $410,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $95,669, which is more affordable than 87% of California towns. Median rent is $1,377 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Golden Hills | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $410,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,377 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $95,669 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.7% | — |
Who lives in Golden Hills
| People | Golden Hills | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Golden Hills
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 32.0°F. About 12.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 82 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Golden Hills since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 20, 1988 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 5, 2023.
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 Golden Hills itself the ACS puts it at 11.6%.
Towns near Golden Hills
- Tehachapi, CA2.9 mi · 12,939 people · home $355,500
- Stallion Springs, CA9.6 mi · 3,139 people · home $432,500
- Bear Valley Springs, CA10.1 mi · 5,592 people · home $496,200
- Arvin, CA19.2 mi · 19,495 people · home $262,700
- Mojave, CA19.3 mi · 4,699 people · home $213,600
- Rosamond, CA24.6 mi · 20,961 people · home $352,600
- Lamont, CA25.2 mi · 14,049 people · home $220,700
- East Niles, CA28.8 mi · 28,390 people · home $251,500
Golden Hills questions
Is Golden Hills, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Golden Hills scores better for retirees than 55% of California towns and quieter than 59%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Golden Hills?
The median owner-occupied home in Golden Hills is valued at $410,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,669, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,377 a month.
What is the weather like in Golden Hills?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 32.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Golden Hills get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Golden Hills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 20, 1988. 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)