Arvin, CA · standard
ZIP Code 93203
Kern County, California — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,938
- 38/sq mi
- $49,217
- Median income
- $264,900
- Median home value
- 5.6%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Arvin pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 13th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 39%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 38
- people per sq mi
- 54%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 93203 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 93203 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 556.9 square miles in Arvin, Kern County, California. The area is home to 20,938 residents, producing a population density of 38 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 93203 against California and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 93203 sits at $49,217 (52% below the California average), while per-capita income is $16,373. The poverty rate stands at 33.7% and the unemployment rate at 14.1%. On housing, the median home value is $264,900 (66% below the state average) with median rent at $1,122 per month, and 53.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 93203 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 5.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 25.4, and the average commute is 25 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Kern County, so you can benchmark 93203 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 93203
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 93203.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
69 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 25
Accommodation and food services
25 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 16
Health care and social assistance
16 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 13
Real estate and rental and leasing
13 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 13
Other services (except public administration)
13 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 93203, Arvin, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
20,938
Population
556.9
Area (sq mi)
38
People / sq mi
Los Angeles
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 93203?
25.4
Median Age
51.1%
Male
48.9%
Female
32.8%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$49,217
Median Household Income
-52% vs state
$16,373
Per Capita Income
33.7%
Poverty Rate
14.1%
Unemployment Rate
24.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 93203 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$49,217 13th percentile higher than 13% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
5,314
Total Housing Units
5,052
Occupied Units
262
Vacant Units
4.08
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$264,900
Median Home Value
-66% vs state
$1,122
Median Rent
1992
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+13.2%
YoY Change (2024)
309
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+209%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 93203 have increased 13.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +209% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +12.1% | 202 |
| 2020 | -2.9% | 196 |
| 2021 | +22.6% | 240 |
| 2022 | +13.2% | 272 |
| 2024 | — | 309 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 187 business establishments in ZIP 93203, employing approximately 3,669 people with a combined annual payroll of $166,036,000.
187
Businesses
3,669
Employees
$166.0M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 69 | 36.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 25 | 13.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 16 | 8.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 7.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 7.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 6.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 3.7% |
| Construction | 5 | 2.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 1.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 1.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 1.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 93203 vs 93241 →
ZIP 93203 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 93307
Bakersfield (93307)
82,658 residents
- 93203 20,938
Arvin (93203)
20,938 residents
- 93241 17,489
Lamont (93241)
17,489 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 93203 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 93203 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 93307
Bakersfield (93307)
$56,446 median income
- 93203
Arvin (93203)
$49,217 median income
- 93241
Lamont (93241)
$33,417 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 93203 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Kern County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 93203 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 93203? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 93203? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 93203? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 93203? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 93203? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 93203? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 93203? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 93203? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 93203? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 93203? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 93203? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Arvin, CA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.