Is South Taft, CA a Good Place to Live?
South Taft is a small town of 2,370 in California, with a median household income of $28,333 and a 17.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.
Strengths: South Taft stands out for below-average home prices.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether South Taft is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Taft city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 102.2South Taft's overall cost of living index is 102.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Taft costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.
| Metric | South Taft, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $112,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $842 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $28,333 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageSouth Taft's violent crime rate is 723.4 per 100,000 residents — 90% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | South Taft, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 7.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 43.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Taft sees average highs of 59.1°F in January and 98.7°F in July, with 6.0 inches of annual precipitation and 0.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | South Taft, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 59.1°F |
| Average High — July | 98.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 6.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | South Taft, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,370 | — |
| Median Age | 26.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 17.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 35.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 53.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 45.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 30.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 4.8% | 16.8% |