Contra Costa County vs Kern County
A side-by-side comparison of Contra Costa County and Kern County: population, income, housing, and more.
Contra Costa County and Kern County are counties in California. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Contra Costa County has the higher population (1,161,458 vs 910,433 in Kern County). Contra Costa County has the higher median household income ($125,727 vs $67,660 in Kern County). Contra Costa County has the higher median home value ($830,800 vs $310,600 in Kern County).
Population, income & housing
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,161,458 | 910,433 |
| Median age | 40.3 yrs | 32.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $125,727 | $67,660 |
| Median home value | $830,800 | $310,600 |
| Median gross rent | $2,322 | $1,220 |
| Housing units | 426,585 | 304,481 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 59.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.9% | 18.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 8.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,142,251 → 1,161,458 (+1.7%) | 887,641 → 910,433 (+2.6%) |
| Median household income | $99,716 → $125,727 (+26.1%) | $53,350 → $67,660 (+26.8%) |
| Median home value | $625,800 → $830,800 (+32.8%) | $213,900 → $310,600 (+45.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,819 → $2,322 (+27.7%) | $978 → $1,220 (+24.7%) |
Contra Costa County
1,142,2511,161,458
$99,716$125,727
$625,800$830,800
$1,819$2,322
Kern County
887,641910,433
$53,350$67,660
$213,900$310,600
$978$1,220
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.4% | 7.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.8% | 21.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.0% | 9.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 15.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.0% | 13.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.7% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.2% | 10.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 7.2% |
| 75 and over | 6.9% | 4.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 39.3% | 30.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.2% | 4.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Asian | 18.3% | 4.9% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 5.8% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 27.3% | 55.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.4% | 22.9% |
| High school graduate | 17.7% | 27.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.0% | 30.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 27.4% | 12.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 17.5% | 6.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 60.8% | 79.2% |
| Carpooled | 9.7% | 11.5% |
| Public transit | 6.5% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 19.2% | 6.6% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 67.5% | 72.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 8.7% | 2.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.6% | 4.9% |
| 20 or more units | 10.0% | 4.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.6% | 7.7% |
Poverty & households
| Contra Costa County | Kern County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 19.0% |
| Average household size | 2.79 | 3.15 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 36 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1978 | 1984 |
Full profiles
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