Taft is a city of 7,125 people in California. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 9% of adults. That trails the California median by roughly 27%. Owners hold 55% of the housing stock. The average commute runs 19 minutes. People stay put here: 95% were in the same home a year ago.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $72,772, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Taft
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree12.9% → 9.0%(−3.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Hispanic share7.3% → 31.5%(+24.2 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
White share88.9% → 60.5%(−28.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19%(38)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.5%(37)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era62.5%(125)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 200 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Taft, decade by decade
Taft population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
5,902
$76,233
$190,085
12.9%
25.5
2000
6,400
$61,683
$150,469
8.8%
43.7
2010
9,327
$66,640
$292,461
10.0%
69.4
2020
8,546
$56,942
$220,833
9.6%
71.4
2024
7,125
$72,772
$252,600
9.0%
66.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
