11 cities
| City | Rank | 2026 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 1 | 423,592 | 405,220 | 0.73% | 2,816 | 150 | City |
| Delano | 2 | 54,850 | 49,893 | 1.53% | 3,727 | 15 | City |
| Ridgecrest | 3 | 28,562 | 27,994 | 0.33% | 1,369 | 21 | City |
| Wasco | 4 | 28,415 | 25,397 | 1.8% | 3,027 | 9 | City |
| Shafter | 5 | 24,099 | 20,063 | 2.87% | 623 | 39 | City |
| Arvin | 6 | 19,735 | 19,513 | 0.19% | 4,095 | 5 | City |
| McFarland | 7 | 14,460 | 14,175 | 0.33% | 2,280 | 6 | City |
| California City | 8 | 12,223 | 15,076 | -3.74% | 60 | 204 | City |
| Tehachapi | 9 | 10,163 | 13,016 | -4.47% | 991 | 10 | City |
| Taft | 10 | 6,687 | 7,589 | -2.19% | 438 | 15 | City |
| Maricopa | 11 | 1,006 | 1,023 | -0.3% | 643 | 2 | City |
Bakersfield is the largest city in Kern County, with a population of 423,592.
Maricopa is the smallest city in Kern County, with a population of 1,006.
There are 11 cities in Kern County, California.