United States › California › Tehachapi CITY
Tehachapi California · 11,852 residents (2025 est.) · 10.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 11,946 people, Tehachapi is a city in California. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. That trails the California median by roughly 26%. Owners hold 58% of the housing stock. Density works out to 1,165 people per square mile. The population has held roughly steady since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 124%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,957 in 2000
11,852 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,165 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 1,159 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 8K 10K 13K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Tehachapi Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,957
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,208 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,220 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.431 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.1%
Education & health services 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$355,500
+124%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,295
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $477 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 54.5% in 2000
41.5% rent
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.42 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 51.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 50.2%(5,497)
Hispanic / Latino 32.7%(3,583)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 50%(5,976)
Hispanic / Latino 37.7%(4,503)
from 82 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 71.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 34.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 37.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 74.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 71.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 23.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.9%(2,816)
Women 15+
Never married 30.3%(1,077)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 64.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 19.6%(128)
Gulf War (1990s) 30.9%(202)
Share of the 654 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Tehachapi Head to head
Compare Tehachapi to nearby cities TEHACHAPI VS
Golden Hills
Income $95,669 +31%
Home value $410,300 +15%
Population 9,891 −17%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TEHACHAPI VS
Arvin
Income $49,183 −33%
Home value $262,700 −26%
Population 19,820 +67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TEHACHAPI VS
Rosamond
Income $79,386 +9%
Home value $352,600 −1%
Population 21,473 +81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TEHACHAPI VS
Lamont
Income $37,217 −49%
Home value $220,700 −38%
Population 13,164 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Tehachapi, California? Tehachapi, California has about 11,946 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Tehachapi, California? The typical household in Tehachapi, California earns about $72,957 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Tehachapi, California expensive? In Tehachapi, California, the median home is worth about $355,500, and the typical rent is about $1,295 a month.
How educated are people in Tehachapi, California? About 15.5% of adults age 25 and over in Tehachapi, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Tehachapi, California? About 13.9% of people in Tehachapi, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Tehachapi, California grown since 1990? Yes, Tehachapi, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,155 residents, a change of about 106 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 