11 cities
| City | Rank | 2025 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 1 | 420,530 | 405,220 | 0.73% | 2,795 | 150 | City |
| Delano | 2 | 54,024 | 49,893 | 1.55% | 3,671 | 15 | City |
| Ridgecrest | 3 | 28,467 | 27,994 | 0.33% | 1,365 | 21 | City |
| Wasco | 4 | 27,912 | 25,397 | 1.84% | 2,973 | 9 | City |
| Shafter | 5 | 23,426 | 20,063 | 2.95% | 605 | 39 | City |
| Arvin | 6 | 19,698 | 19,513 | 0.19% | 4,088 | 5 | City |
| McFarland | 7 | 14,412 | 14,175 | 0.33% | 2,273 | 6 | City |
| California City | 8 | 12,698 | 15,076 | -3.61% | 62 | 204 | City |
| Tehachapi | 9 | 10,638 | 13,016 | -4.28% | 1,037 | 10 | City |
| Taft | 10 | 6,837 | 7,589 | -2.16% | 448 | 15 | City |
| Maricopa | 11 | 1,009 | 1,023 | -0.3% | 645 | 2 | City |
Bakersfield is the largest city in Kern County, with a population of 420,530.
Maricopa is the smallest city in Kern County, with a population of 1,009.
There are 11 cities in Kern County, California.