Where Are People Moving in Kern, CA?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
9,402
People moving out
9,538
Net migration
-1,440
Kern, CA is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 9,402 people moved in and 9,538 moved out, for a net loss of -1,440. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Kern, CA’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Kern, CA from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 3,797 | 7,772 |
| Tulare, CACalifornia | 533 | 1,072 |
| Ventura, CACalifornia | 489 | 1,043 |
| San Bernardino, CACalifornia | 475 | 986 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 452 | 835 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | 352 | 663 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 346 | 646 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 320 | 607 |
| Clark, NVNevada | 263 | 544 |
| Santa Barbara, CACalifornia | 180 | 357 |
Top counties people left Kern, CA for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 2,034 | 3,684 |
| Tulare, CACalifornia | 512 | 1,088 |
| San Diego, CACalifornia | 441 | 705 |
| San Bernardino, CACalifornia | 382 | 707 |
| Orange, CACalifornia | 380 | 638 |
| Clark, NVNevada | 379 | 729 |
| Fresno, CACalifornia | 338 | 564 |
| Riverside, CACalifornia | 331 | 596 |
| Ventura, CACalifornia | 290 | 508 |
| San Luis Obispo, CACalifornia | 267 | 434 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Kern, CA or leaving?
Kern, CA had a net loss of -1,440 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 9,402 people moving in and 9,538 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Kern, CA from?
The largest sources of new Kern, CA residents are Los Angeles, CA, Tulare, CA, Ventura, CA. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Kern, CA go?
People leaving Kern, CA most often move to Los Angeles, CA, Tulare, CA, San Diego, CA. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Kern, CA migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Kern, CA's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Kern, CA migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.