The Town FilesWasco, California
City in Kern County · population 27,047 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $273,600
- Household income
- $51,727
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 100°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 30.6
Wasco is a city of 27,047 people in Kern County, California. The median home is worth $273,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more walkable than 78% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 78% of California towns, more vibrant than 70% of California towns.
How Wasco 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 Wasco is worth $273,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $51,727, which is more affordable than 71% of California towns. Median rent is $1,089 a month. 58.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wasco | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $273,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,089 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $51,727 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wasco
| People | Wasco | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.8% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Wasco
July highs average 100.0°F and January lows 39.2°F. About 7.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 126 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wasco since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 22, 1997 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 22, 1997.
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 Wasco itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Wasco
10 public schools with 5,589 students, about 21.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasco High | 9-12 | 1,693 | 20.9 |
| Palm Avenue Middle | 6-8 | 632 | 22.6 |
| John L. Prueitt Elementary | K-5 | 617 | 22.0 |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle | 6-8 | 589 | 20.3 |
| James A. Forrest Elementary | K-5 | 578 | 23.1 |
| Teresa Burke Elementary | K-5 | 529 | 19.6 |
| Karl F. Clemens Elementary | K-5 | 527 | 22.9 |
| Pond Elementary | K-8 | 169 | 18.8 |
| Semitropic Elementary | K-8 | 142 | 14.2 |
| Wasco Independence High | 9-12 | 113 | 18.8 |
Towns near Wasco
- McFarland, CA9.2 mi · 14,161 people · home $272,700
- Shafter, CA12.2 mi · 19,953 people · home $335,800
- Delano, CA13.3 mi · 51,428 people · home $301,900
- Rosedale, CA16.8 mi · 18,639 people · home $608,900
- Greenacres, CA20.2 mi · 5,496 people · home $351,800
- Earlimart, CA21.2 mi · 7,679 people · home $264,200
- Oildale, CA22.1 mi · 36,135 people · home $238,800
- Old Stine, CA24.8 mi · 3,841 people · home $235,400
Wasco questions
Is Wasco, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wasco scores better for retirees than 4% of California towns and quieter than 24%. 6.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.6).
How much does a house cost in Wasco?
The median owner-occupied home in Wasco is valued at $273,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,727, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,089 a month.
What is the weather like in Wasco?
July highs average 100.0°F and January lows 39.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Wasco get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wasco since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 22, 1997. 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)