Census-designated place · California
Golden Hills, California
Golden Hills, census-designated place, in Kern County, California. Golden Hills had 9,891 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,471). GEOID 0630282.
Residents, 2020-2024
9,891
±1,471 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 9,578
Median household income
$95,669
±$18,798 (90% margin)
California: $99,122
Median home value
$410,300
±$34,802 (90% margin)
California: $734,700
Median gross rent
$1,377
±$130 (90% margin)
California: $2,036
Where is Golden Hills and what county is it in?
Golden Hills is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Kern County, California. It covers 10.9 square miles of land, 878 residents per square mile in 2020.
Golden Hills is in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Golden Hills, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Golden Hills's population at 9,891 (±1,471). The 2020 Census counted 9,578 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Golden Hills is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Golden Hills | Kern County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,891 ±1,471 | 915,075 | no clear change |
| Households | 3,762 ±569 | 284,931 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.63 ±0.17 | 3.12 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,232 ±539 | 306,999 | +568 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Golden Hills?
The median resident of Golden Hills is 37.3 years old; 22.0% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 62.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 30.3%. 7.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Golden Hills | Kern County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 ±3.3 | 32.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.0% ±3.5 pts | 28.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.3% ±4.7 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Male | 50.4% ±4.7 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 30.3% ±8.9 pts | 56.5% | +11.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 62.2% ±9.0 pts | 29.6% | −16.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.0 pts | 5.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±1.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±3.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.8% ±3.7 pts | 20.2% | +4.7 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 17.9% ±8.1 pts | 45.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.5% ±2.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
| With a disability | 14.5% ±3.4 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.6% ±3.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.3% ±5.4 pts | 77.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.0% ±4.7 pts | 18.8% | +12.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.6% ±2.9 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.2% ±2.8 pts | 91.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Golden Hills earn?
Half of Golden Hills's 3,762 households earn less than $95,669 a year (±$18,798), against $70,210 in Kern County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $79,825 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Golden Hills | Kern County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $95,669 ±$18,798 | $70,210 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $113,354 ±$14,938 | $93,147 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,110 ±$4,780 | $29,699 | +$6,839 |
| People below the poverty line | 17.6% ±6.6 pts | 19.1% | +8.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.4% ±15.0 pts | 25.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.0% ±5.1 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.8% ±3.4 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±4.1 pts | 91.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Golden Hills?
Owners occupy 82.3% of Golden Hills's occupied homes and renters 17.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $410,300 by its owner (±$34,802). The median renter pays $1,377 a month including utilities, and 44.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Golden Hills | Kern County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $410,300 ±$34,802 | $338,300 | +$89,089 |
| Median gross rent | $1,377 ±$130 | $1,300 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.0% ±19.2 pts | 48.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,143 ±$319 | $1,968 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.3% ±5.9 pts | 60.1% | +15.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.7% ±5.9 pts | 39.9% | – |
| Housing units | 4,232 ±539 | 306,999 | +568 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.3% ±7.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.5% ±4.1 pts | 72.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.9% ±2.9 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9% ±1.2 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.5% ±1.7 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.4% ±3.5 pts | 6.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Golden Hills work and get to work?
78.5% of Golden Hills's workers drive alone and 10.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.6%.
| Measure | Golden Hills | Kern County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.9% ±6.0 pts | 58.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.6% ±5.5 pts | 8.6% | +7.8 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 78.5% ±5.5 pts | 78.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.7% ±6.0 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.7% ±4.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.1 min ±5.1 | 24.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Golden Hills?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Golden Hills, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $58,668 (Tract 60.03) to $110,813 (Tract 60.06).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 60.03Kern County | 5,923 | $58,668 |
| Tract 60.06Kern County | 4,167 | $110,813 |
| Tract 60.12Kern County | 2,827 | $118,750 |
| Tract 60.10Kern County | 3,416 | $121,600 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Golden Hills) · Census block assignment files
How does Golden Hills compare with other places in California?
Golden Hills ranks 496th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 500th | 1,076 |
| Residents per square mile | 771st | 1,077 |
| Median household income | 496th | 1,037 |
| Per capita income | 523rd | 1,073 |
| Median home value | 752nd | 1,054 |
| Median gross rent | 768th | 987 |
| Poverty rate | 192nd | 836 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 508th | 988 |
| Median age | 672nd | 1,075 |
| Owner-occupied share | 216th | 1,064 |
| Work from home | 591st | 822 |
| Travel time to work | 227th | 1,069 |
Golden Hills's figures with every place in California (CSV)
Every place in California, sortable · Compare Golden Hills with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Golden Hills?
13 of the 57 figures for Golden Hills on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Golden Hills are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.