States › California › Tehachapi

Is Tehachapi, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,5909% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$78,684about $6,557/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$355,5007% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 53% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.5 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $63,600 a year. That is $31 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 104 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Tehachapi
$1,590
Rancho Mission Viejo
$3,500+
Commerce
$1,642
Muscoy
$1,852
Scotts Valley
$1,983
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley
$3,500+
Winton
$1,226

How much do households earn in Tehachapi?

Under $25k
10.4%
$25k–50k
22.2%
$50k–100k
43.6%
$100k–150k
9.6%
$150k+
4.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 13.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Tehachapi

SizeTehachapiU.S. average
1 bedroom$896$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,291$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,649$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,248$2,098

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

How expensive is Tehachapi 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 Tehachapi, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Tehachapi

🏛️ Property tax$3,074a year · 0.86% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$119a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Tehachapi

Commute to work27 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home58.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line13.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tehachapi?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $877 a month less.

Renting
$1,590
Owning
$2,467

Owning assumes a typical $355,500 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $35,550 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Tehachapi, CA?

Renting in Tehachapi costs a median of about $1,590 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $63,600 a year, or $31 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Tehachapi cheap or expensive?

Tehachapi is rated OK: rent takes 24.2% of the typical household income of $78,684. It ranks 104th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Tehachapi?

The median homeowner in Tehachapi pays $3,074 a year in property taxes, about 0.86% of the median home value.

Is Tehachapi 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 Tehachapi?

The median home value in Tehachapi is $355,500, about 4.5 times the typical yearly household income.

11,946 people live in Tehachapi. Numbers are typical (middle) values.