Kern County, California Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Kern County, California
Employment Indicators for Kern County, California (2024)
Total Employed
365,769
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
69.2 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
6.6%
Entrepreneurship
Government
18.2%
Public Sector
Kern County, California Workforce by Sector & Gender

Kern County, California Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 253,017 | 69.2% |
| Government | 66,731 | 18.2% |
| Self-Employed | 24,124 | 6.6% |
| Private Non-Profit | 21,166 | 5.8% |
Kern County, California Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.41:1 |
| Government | 0.80:1 |
| Self-Employed | 1.72:1 |
Kern County, California Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Kern County, California Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69.2% | 18.2% | 6.6% | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 69.7% | 17.8% | 6.7% | 5.7% |
| 2022 | 70.6% | 17.5% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| 2021 | 70.5% | 17.6% | 6.7% | 5.0% |
| 2020 | 71.3% | 17.4% | 6.7% | 4.5% |
| 2019 | 72.1% | 16.7% | 6.6% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 72.3% | 16.2% | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| 2017 | 71.9% | 16.6% | 6.5% | 4.8% |
| 2016 | 71.8% | 16.9% | 6.3% | 4.7% |
| 2015 | 71.3% | 17.2% | 6.2% | 5.0% |
| 2014 | 70.6% | 17.7% | 6.6% | 5.0% |
| 2013 | 69.4% | 18.6% | 6.7% | 5.0% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | 19.0% | 7.1% | 4.9% |
| 2011 | 68.5% | 19.4% | 7.1% | 4.8% |
| 2010 | 68.6% | 19.4% | 7.3% | 4.5% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Kern County, California
The largest employment sector in Kern County, California is Private For-Profit, which employs 69.2% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 365,769 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Kern County, California.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.41:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Kern County, California has shown an increase, moving from 310,995 to 365,769 according to Census Bureau records.