At a Glance
Median Income
$64,479
$31,344 per capita
Home Value
$246,400
Zillow: $201,442
Median Rent
$989/mo
30.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
712/100K
2,592/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
11.0%
84.3% high school+
Unemployment
2.2%
9.3% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
35.3%
15.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
66°F
330 sunny days/yr
How Taft Compares to the U.S. Average
Each bar shows Taft's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)
Is Taft a Good Place to Live?
C+
2.9 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.
Economy & Jobs
Taft residents earn a median household income of $64,479 , which is 14% below the national average of $75,149.
Per capita income is $31,344. The unemployment rate stands at 2.2% (39% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 27,950 business establishments, including 1,569 restaurants.
Housing & Cost of Living
The median home value in Taft is $246,400 , 13% below the national median of $281,900.
Zillow estimates the typical home at $201,442. Median rent is $989/month, with 30.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1972.
Safety & Crime
Taft reports 712 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
, which is 87% above the national average of 380/100K.
Property crime is 2,592/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.
Education
11.0% of adults in Taft hold a bachelor's degree or higher
(67% below the national average).
84.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.0/10 in standardized testing.
Climate & Weather
Taft has an average annual temperature of 66°F (19°C).
Winters average 50°F in January while summers reach 83°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 6.0 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.
Data Overview
People
Population7,228
Median Age36.2 yrs
Density473/mi²
Male / Female51% / 49%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans4.4%
Economy
A
Median Income$64,479
Per Capita$31,344
Unemployment2.2%
Poverty9.3%
County GDP$63,070M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,155
Housing
A+
Home Value$246,400
Rent$989
Ownership53.6%
Zillow$201,442
Housing Units2,849
Rent Burden30.6%
Crime
F
Violent712/100K
Property2,592/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault606/100K
Burglary744/100K
Health
Obesity35.3%
Diabetes11.9%
Smoking15.3%
Heart Disease6.3%
Premature Death10,697/100K
Climate
Avg Temp66°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain6.0 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation831 ft
Education
D
Bachelor's+11.0%
High School+84.3%
Graduate+4.2%
School Score4.0/10
Community
2024 VoteR 59% / D 38%
Commute20 min
Broadband79.4%
Internet Speed79 Mbps
EV Stations2
Libraries28
Did You Know?
The median home in Taft was built in 1972.
The nearest airport is Santa Barbara Municipal (55 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.470 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
22.5% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 1,569 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 197 fatal vehicle crashes.
273 declared natural disasters on record.
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