States › California › Shafter

Is Shafter, CA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 34 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,14622% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$76,805about $6,400/month · 12% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$335,8001% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 75% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.4 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $85,840 a year. That is $41 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 269 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Shafter
$2,146
South Lake Tahoe
$2,367
Rancho San Diego
$3,337
Stevenson Ranch
$3,195
Valinda
$2,412
Imperial
$2,833
Rosamond
$2,350

How much do households earn in Shafter?

Under $25k
15.0%
$25k–50k
25.3%
$50k–100k
35.2%
$100k–150k
16.0%
$150k+
5.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 21.8% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Shafter

SizeShafterU.S. average
Studio$635$1,338
1 bedroom$980$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,161$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,623$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,902$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Shafter overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Shafter, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Shafter

🏛️ Property tax$2,634a year · 0.78% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$161a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Shafter

Commute to work23.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree12.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home64.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shafter?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $184 a month less.

Renting
$2,146
Owning
$2,330

Owning assumes a typical $335,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $33,580 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Shafter, CA?

Renting in Shafter costs a median of about $2,146 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Shafter?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $85,840 a year, or $41 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Shafter cheap or expensive?

Shafter is rated Expensive: rent takes 33.5% of the typical household income of $76,805. It ranks 269th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Shafter?

The median homeowner in Shafter pays $2,634 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of the median home value.

Is Shafter more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Shafter?

The median home value in Shafter is $335,800, about 4.4 times the typical yearly household income.

21,193 people live in Shafter. Numbers are typical (middle) values.