Taft

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Taft, CA Area Guide

This small town celebrates the past and welcomes the future

Suburban Scenic Mountain Views Welcoming Historic Quiet Affordable Vibrant

Located about 35 miles southwest of Bakersfield, Taft is a small town named after President William H. Taft in 1909. Taft is renowned for celebrating its history while moving toward the future. Remnants of Taft’s rich past, such as the nostalgic Fox Theatre, are well-preserved throughout the walkable downtown area, which offers a variety of unique shopping and dining experiences.

Taft is also home to the West Kern Oil Museum and continues to maintain strong ties to the local and thriving oil industry. Recreational opportunities in Taft are abundant, with numerous parks and athletic programs in town and convenient access to Los Padres National Forest. Destinations like San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Fresno are all within a two-hour drive of Taft as well.

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Taft, CA is $868 for a studio, $794 for one bedroom, $832 for two bedrooms, and $1,087 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Taft has increased by 1.9% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$794/month
486 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Taft, CA

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Taft, CA is for everyday living.

Somewhat walkable

Walkability

20 / 100

Exceptionally drivable

Drivability

100 / 100

Somewhat bikeable

Bikeability

20 / 100

Schools

Roosevelt Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

Taft Primary

Public

Grades K-5

Conley Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

Parkview Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

Jefferson Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

Lincoln Junior High

Public

Grades 6-8

Taft Union High

Public

Grades 9-12

Points of Interest

Top Apartments in Taft

Houses for Rent in Taft

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.