| City | Rank | 2026 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density (/mi²) | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 1 | 425,704 | 405,185 | 0.84% | 2,830 | 150 | City |
| Delano | 2 | 53,130 | 49,897 | 1.52% | 3,610 | 15 | City |
| Ridgecrest | 3 | 28,435 | 27,976 | 0.36% | 1,363 | 21 | City |
| Wasco | 4 | 26,922 | 25,389 | 1.5% | 2,868 | 9 | City |
| Shafter | 5 | 24,575 | 20,061 | 2.95% | 635 | 39 | City |
| Arvin | 6 | 19,871 | 19,511 | 0.26% | 4,123 | 5 | City |
| McFarland | 7 | 14,781 | 14,173 | 0.49% | 2,331 | 6 | City |
| California City | 8 | 12,838 | 15,081 | -3.47% | 63 | 204 | City |
| Tehachapi | 9 | 11,361 | 13,005 | -4.14% | 1,108 | 10 | City |
| Taft | 10 | 6,882 | 7,481 | -1.62% | 451 | 15 | City |
| Maricopa | 11 | 1,017 | 1,021 | -0.1% | 650 | 2 | City |
Bakersfield is the largest city in Kern County, with a population of 425,704.
Maricopa is the smallest city in Kern County, with a population of 1,017.
There are 11 cities in Kern County, California.