Bakersfield metro, CA relocation guide
Moving to Taft, CA
$245,000Median list
Bakersfield metro, CAArea
Commuter-friendlyCommute profile
About Taft
Taft is an incorporated oil town about 25–35 miles southwest of Bakersfield. The 2020 census counted roughly 9,000–10,000 residents. It grew up around the Midway-Sunset and other giant Kern County oil fields and retains a strong petroleum identity — celebrated every five years with the Oildorado festival. Taft College gives it a small college-town element.
Home prices in Taft
The median list in Taft is $245,000.
Top places in Taft
- West Kern Oil Museum — oil-field history, equipment, and exhibits.
- Historic downtown Taft — Center Street commercial district with early-20th-century oil-boom architecture.
- Oildorado — the city's famous every-five-years oil celebration (next occurrence to be confirmed).
- Taft College campus.
- Surrounding oil fields — pumpjacks and the working petroleum landscape.
Commuting from Taft
- Taft to downtown Bakersfield is roughly 30 miles via State Routes 119 and 33 — typically about 30–40 minutes. Many residents work in the surrounding oil fields rather than commuting to Bakersfield. (Drive time not independently timed.)
Taft FAQs
- What is the housing market like in Taft, CA?
The median list in Taft is $245,000. Median listing price · Sep 2026 - How is the commute from Taft, CA?
Taft to downtown Bakersfield is roughly 30 miles via State Routes 119 and 33 — typically about 30–40 minutes. Many residents work in the surrounding oil fields rather than commuting to Bakersfield. (Drive time not independently timed.)
Town links
Schools
Official town resources. School report cards via the National Center for Education Statistics.