California City’s median commercial property tax rate was 0.9% for fiscal year 2025, ranking ninth among Kern County cities, according to BlockShopper.com.
The overall Kern County median was also 0.9% during this period, placing California City on par with the county average.
Out of the 24 cities in Kern County, rates varied from 0.3% in Mojave to 3.5% in East Bakersfield.
The previous year, California City posted a median commercial property tax rate of 0.9%, ranking eighth in Kern County.
Commercial property tax rates averaged 1.76% among 53 large U.S. cities in 2024, based on analysis by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Their research indicates that a $1 million property, including $200,000 in fixtures, yields an annual tax bill near $21,060. The rates ranged from well below 1% in some locations to up to 4% in others.
Many states have classification systems that can lead to higher effective property tax rates for commercial, industrial, and apartment buildings compared to residential properties. In some areas, businesses may face rates several times above what residential properties pay. For example, in Charleston, the commercial tax rate can be about six times greater.
| Rank | City | Tax Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Bakersfield | 3.5% |
| 2 | Rexland Acres | 3.4% |
| 3 | China Lake Acres | 2.7% |
| 4 | Potomac Park | 1.5% |
| 5 | Delano | 1.1% |
| 6 | Wofford Heights | 1% |
| 6 | Taft | 1% |
| 6 | Tehachapi | 1% |
| 9 | Bakersfield | 0.9% |
| 9 | East Niles | 0.9% |
| 9 | Inyokern | 0.9% |
| 9 | California City | 0.9% |
| 13 | Lake Isabella | 0.8% |
| 13 | Oildale | 0.8% |
| 13 | Wasco | 0.8% |
| 13 | Rosamond | 0.8% |
| 13 | Lamont | 0.8% |
| 18 | Ridgecrest | 0.7% |
| 18 | Rosedale | 0.7% |
| 18 | Arvin | 0.7% |
| 18 | Golden Hills | 0.7% |
| 18 | Shafter | 0.7% |
| 23 | Greenfield | 0.5% |
| 24 | Mojave | 0.3% |
| Rank | Address | Tax Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/A | 15.6% |
| 2 | N/A | 12.1% |
| 3 | 10624 S. Loop Blvd. | 1% |
| 4 | 9830 N. Loop Blvd. | 0.9% |
| 5 | 601 Calif. City Blvd. | 0.3% |
| 6 | 8836 Calif. City Blvd. | 0.2% |
| 7 | 574 E. Fristad St. | <0.1% |
Note: Some property addresses may be incomplete or unavailable because of gaps in county assessor records.
This article uses information from BlockShopper.com. Access the source data here.