Tehachapi receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Tehachapi
Arvin
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
19 · Bottom 7%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 10%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 36%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
95 · Top 37%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Tehachapi | Arvin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,946 | 19,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,957 | $49,183 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,361 | $15,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,163/sq mi | 4,055/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $355,500 | $262,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,295 | $1,122 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 8.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 5.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 34.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -80.5% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.7" | 6.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 25.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Tehachapi
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Arvin
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Tehachapi, CA · Arvin, CA · How this is calculated: methodology