Moving to California City, CA

About California City

California City is an incorporated city in the northern Antelope Valley, covering roughly 200 square miles — one of the largest cities by land area in California. It was famously planned in the 1960s as a master-planned desert city that never fully materialized, so it has a small population spread across a huge platted grid. The 2020 census counted about 14,000 residents. Its orientation is split between the Antelope Valley (Lancaster/Palmdale) and the Mojave Desert corridor rather than Bakersfield.

Home prices in California City

The median list in California City is $300,000.

Top places in California City

• Central Park — the city's 120-acre park with a lake, the centerpiece of the original master plan.
• The original 1960s planned-city grid — a striking aerial/landscape story of streets platted for a city that never came.
• Desert Tortoise Natural Area (nearby) — protected desert habitat.
• Borax Bill Park and local OHV/desert recreation areas.

Commuting from California City

• California City to Bakersfield is roughly 50–60 miles via State Route 58 over the Tehachapi Pass — typically about 1 to 1.25 hours. This is a very long daily commute; residents more often work locally, at Edwards AFB (to the south), or in the Antelope Valley. (Drive time not independently timed.)

California City FAQs

• What is the housing market like in California City, CA?
  The median list in California City is $300,000. Median listing price · Sep 2026
• How is the commute from California City, CA?
  California City to Bakersfield is roughly 50–60 miles via State Route 58 over the Tehachapi Pass — typically about 1 to 1.25 hours. This is a very long daily commute; residents more often work locally, at Edwards AFB (to the south), or in the Antelope Valley. (Drive time not independently timed.)

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