1st Advantage MortgageIn Kings County, California, the typical household earns $70,995 a year and the typical rent is $1,331. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Kings County at a glance
- The Kings County job picture
- How much Kings County households make
- Housing costs in Kings County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Kings County towns compared
- What a median Kings County budget can carry
- Kings County households compared
- Borrowing situations common in Kings County
- Checking a lender's license in California
- Four steps for Kings County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Kings County at a glance
Roughly 153,298 residents live in Kings County, California, 33rd by population among the state's 58 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 1,391 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 110 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Hanford-Corcoran, CA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 11 places in the county (4 incorporated, 7 census-designated); the largest is Hanford, with about 59,754 residents, or 39% of the county.
The Kings County job picture
Education and health care employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; agriculture, forestry and mining is next with 16%. Compared with California, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (16% against 2%). The survey's unemployment rate for Kings County averages 10.8% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.6%). 14% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home.
| Industry | Share of Kings County workers | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.0% | +0.9 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 15.7% | +13.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.9% | -0.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.8% | +0.9 pts |
| Public administration | 9.0% | +4.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | -0.8 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
How much Kings County households make
Kings County households have a median income of $70,995 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 41st of 58 in California.
| Band | Kings County | Compared with California |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.7% | +3.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.8% | +12.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.6% | -2.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.9% | -13.6 pts |
About 22% of households earn under $35,000, while 34% clear $100,000. Census counts 16.0% of Kings County residents in poverty, against 12.0% across California. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.420 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $70,995 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Housing costs in Kings County
Renters in Kings County pay a median of $1,331 a month, 35% below the California figure of $2,036. 49% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. With a median value of $324,300, a typical Kings County house costs 4.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 54%. Median construction year: 1986.
| Home costs | Kings County | California | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,331/mo | $2,036/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $324,300 | $734,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 54% | 56% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 38% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% | 3.5% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 6% | 7% | n/a |
Renters cannot borrow against a house, which narrows the choice to unsecured loans, cards and help from creditors; compare total cost, not just the payment.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Fresno County at 48 miles out to San Benito County at 80. Income ranges from $70,210 in Kern County to $114,394 in San Benito County; 5 of these neighbors top Kings County's median.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings County | - | $70,995 | $1,331/mo | 54% |
| Fresno County, CA | 48 mi | $74,201 | $1,392/mo | 56% |
| Tulare County, CA | 59 mi | $71,300 | $1,280/mo | 58% |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 59 mi | $97,446 | $1,992/mo | 62% |
| Madera County, CA | 79 mi | $76,627 | $1,390/mo | 67% |
| Kern County, CA | 79 mi | $70,210 | $1,300/mo | 60% |
| San Benito County, CA | 80 mi | $114,394 | $1,992/mo | 68% |
Kings County towns compared
The table lists the 11 largest of 11 Census places in Kings County, by population. Together all 11 hold about 137,477 people, so roughly 10% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $47,743 in Kettleman City to $165,246 in Grangeville. Median rent ranges from $1,015 in Avenal to $1,881 in Lemoore Station. None of the 11 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford | city | 59,754 | $76,461 | $1,309 | 20 mi |
| Lemoore | city | 27,102 | $83,724 | $1,555 | 15 mi |
| Corcoran | city | 22,491 | $59,905 | $1,160 | 14 mi |
| Avenal | city | 13,608 | $54,741 | $1,015 | 17 mi |
| Lemoore Station | CDP | 6,175 | $69,243 | $1,881 | 14 mi |
| Armona | CDP | 3,890 | $64,276 | $1,278 | 18 mi |
| Home Garden | CDP | 1,806 | $56,384 | $1,166 | 19 mi |
| Kettleman City | CDP | 1,002 | $47,743 | $1,055 | 9 mi |
| Stratford | CDP | 973 | $62,639 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Grangeville | CDP | 618 | $165,246 | n/a | 20 mi |
| Hardwick | CDP | 58 | n/a | n/a | 23 mi |
What a median Kings County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Kings County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $70,995 a year is $5,916 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $1,331, takes 22% of that
- At 35%, room after rent is $740 a month
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,331 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Kings County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Kings County households compared
College graduates make up 14% of the adult population. 7.3% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Kings County | California | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5 | 37.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 13.6% | 37.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 24.2% | 15.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.3% | 6.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.8% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 17.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 12.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 10.8% | 6.6% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.0% |
| 60+ min | 5.0% |
Borrowing situations common in Kings County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Kings County borrowers.
- 49% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Checking a lender's license in California
Before sharing details with a lender, a Kings County resident can confirm its license with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on California: California personal loans.
Four steps for Kings County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Verify the California license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Related local guides
The California guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Kings County earn?
The median is $70,995; 34% earn $100,000 or more and 22% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Kings County rent compare with California?
$1,331 locally versus $2,036 for the state, 35% below.
Which towns does the Kings County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 11 Census places: Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, Avenal, Lemoore Station.
Will a Kings County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming California as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Kings County residents?
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation licenses consumer lenders in California; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.