Tehachapi (; Kawaiisu: Tihachipia, meaning "hard climb") is a city in Kern County, California, United States, in the Tehachapi Mountains, at an elevation of , between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Tehachapi is east-southeast of Bakersfield, and west of Mojave. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of . As of the 2020 census, Tehachapi had a population of 12,939. The Tehachapi area is known for the nearby Tehachapi Loop (a popular railfan site), the Pacific Crest Trail and for the favorable weather conditions for the aerial sport of gliding.
History
The Kawaiisu people (also Nuwu ("people" in Kawaiisu), or Nuooah) are the Native American tribe whose homeland was the Tehachapi Valley, and seasonally the southern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert, for thousands of years.
One possibility for the origin of the name Tehachapi comes from the Kawaiisu language. It may be derived from the word for "hard climb" or tihachipia, according to the Tomi-Kahni Resource Center. The settlement has been formerly known and spelled as: Tehachapai; Tehachapa; Tehachepi; Tehachipi; and Summit Station. According to Yokuts informant Wahumchah, recorded by anthropologist Frank Forrest Latta, Tehachapi derives from a Yokuts-Ute amalgam, from Yokuts taheech[e] "oak-covered flat" + Ute pah''' "water" (cl. Pah-ute, lit. 'Water Ute'). On an 1864 map of California, the name appears as Taheechepah.Frank F. Latta, Handbook of Yokuts Indians 2nd ed. (1977), pg. 282-283
The original settlement in the Tehachapi Valley, once called Williamsburg or 'Tehichipa', was founded in the 1860s. Now known as ‘Old Town’, it was located four miles west of present-day downtown Tehachapi and was an important station on the road linking the San Joaquin Valley with Southern California. It is now registered as California Historical Landmark #643 for being the oldest settlement in the Tehachapi Valley.
In 1869, Peter D. Greene, a gold prospector and rancher who originally arrived in 1856, was appointed postmaster of a new post office near the Tomlinson Stage Company station at Oak Creek to be called ‘Tehichipa’, which was the only post office in the area. In 1875, Greene founded the community of Greenwich three miles east of Williamsburg and was appointed postmaster there.Historical Markers and War Memorials in Tehachapi, California, Historical Markers and War Memorials in Tehachapi, California, Accessed February 9, 2024.
Under the leadership of civil engineer J.B. Harris, the Southern Pacific Railroad line through the Tehachapi Pass was completed in July 1876 and became the final link connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. A telegraph office near the railroad tracks located one mile east of Greenwich was the first structure on the empty plain and would become the site of the Tehachapi Railroad Depot and the beginning of the downtown core. The depot is now on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)—and was the oldest building in downtown Tehachapi until it burned in June 2008. It has since been rebuilt using the original plans with only minor modifications to meet modern building codes. The new depot was dedicated on June 5, 2010.Tehachapi Depot Groundbreaking, Tehachapi Depot Back on Track, June 13, 2009, Accessed August 8, 2009.
The new railroad town was given the name of Tehachapi Summit, and Williamsburg and Greenwich, having been bypassed by the railroad, saw their population decline as many of the area's residents moved to the new town. In 1885, Greene moved the post office to Tehachapi Summit, the postal name was later changed to ‘Tehachapi’ in 1893. The town was incorporated on August 13, 1909.
1952 Kern County earthquake
Tehachapi experienced the 7.3 magnitude 1952 Kern County earthquake on the White Wolf Fault. At the time, the earthquake was the largest in Southern California in the twentieth century and the largest since the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake. It was felt as far away as Reno, Nevada. Twelve people died in the quake and severe damage was done to buildings and rail lines in the area.
Geography Faults Downtown Tehachapi is approximately from the White Wolf Fault, from the Garlock Fault and from the San Andreas Fault. The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake on the San Andreas Fault had an estimated magnitude of 7.9 but there is no record of the local effects of this quake.Southern California Earthquake Data Center The Garlock Fault last ruptured approximately 500 years ago.
Climate
Tehachapi has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa).
Tehachapi is known for its four-season climate. The wet season is generally November through May, although thunderstorms are common during the summer, especially over the nearby mountain peaks. Average temperatures range from in July to in January. The area typically collects of snow each winter. There are an average of 31.1 days with highs of or higher and an average of 94.8 days with lows of or lower annually.
Due to Tehachapi's close proximity to the Tehachapi Pass, which forces air up from the San Joaquin Valley through a narrow canyon into the mountains, the region is notably windy throughout the year. Many days out of the year experience strong wind gusts, usually coming from the Tehachapi Pass to the northwest. During winter, the strong winds can cause temperatures to feel significantly colder than they actually are. When strong high pressure systems are over the area, the winds often cease.
The highest recorded temperature was on July 27, 1934. The lowest recorded temperature was on January 14, 1932, and December 21, 1967. Annual precipitation averages and there is measurable precipitation on average of 42 days annually. The wettest year was 1983, with and the driest year was 1989, with . The most precipitation in one month was in March 1983. The most precipitation in 24 hours was on March 1, 1983. The snowiest year was 1967, when fell. The most snow in one month was in January 1933.
Demographics The population was 14,414 at the 2010 census, up from 10,957 at the 2000 census.
Racial and ethnic composition +Tehachapi city, California – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)5,4977,1236,18350.17%49.42%47.79%Black or African American alone (NH)1,4971,2551,02513.66%8.71%7.92%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)112100921.02%0.69%0.71%Asian alone (NH)772222780.70%1.54%2.15%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)912210.08%0.08%0.16%Other race alone (NH)917840.08%0.12%0.65%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1732195191.58%1.52%4.01%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,5835,4664,73732.70%37.92%36.61%Total10,95714,41412,939 100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Tehachapi had a population of 12,939 and a population density of . The median age was 37.6 years. The age distribution was 19.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% aged 18 to 24, 36.0% aged 25 to 44, 25.2% aged 45 to 64, and 12.1% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 174.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 200.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of Tehachapi was 53.3% White, 8.1% African American, 1.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 23.2% from other races, and 11.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.6% of the population.
The census reported that 71.9% of the population lived in households and 28.1% were institutionalized. In addition, 69.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 30.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 3,526 households, out of which 36.8% included children under the age of 18. Of all households, 44.4% were married-couple households, 7.5% were cohabiting couple households, 28.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, and 19.7% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.4% of households were one person, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64. There were 2,343 families (66.4% of all households).
There were 3,784 housing units at an average density of , of which 3,526 (93.2%) were occupied and 258 (6.8%) were vacant. Of occupied units, 56.6% were owner-occupied and 43.4% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%, and the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%.
2023 ACS 5-year estimate In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $67,785, and the per capita income was $23,388. About 4.8% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line.
2010 census The 2010 United States census reported that Tehachapi had a population of 14,414. The population density was .
The racial makeup of Tehachapi was 9,426 (65.4%) White, 1,297 (9.0%) African American, 206 (1.4%) Native American, 238 (1.7%) Asian, 21 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 2,725 (18.9%) from other races, and 501 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5,466 persons (37.9%).
The Census reported that 8,487 people (58.9% of the population) lived in households, 6 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 5,921 (41.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 3,121 households, out of which 1,199 (38.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,504 (48.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 418 (13.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 181 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 194 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 18 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 879 households (28.2%) were made up of individuals, and 428 (13.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 2,103 families (67.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.34.
The population was spread out, with 2,599 people (18.0%) under the age of 18, 1,542 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 5,891 people (40.9%) aged 25 to 44, 3,115 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,267 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 234.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 283.0 males.
There were 3,539 housing units at an average density of , of which 1,841 (59.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,280 (41.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.2%. 4,913 people (34.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,574 people (24.8%) lived in rental housing units. Economy
Tehachapi has historically been agrarian, with apples, peaches, grain, vegetables and hay grown year-round.
Wine grapes were grown in the area from the 19th century up until prohibition. A 2007 application to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for the "Tehachapi/Cummings Valley AVA" was declined due to insufficient planted acreage. The Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area was approved in 2020. It is approximately .
Roughly half of Tehachapi's water supply originates as groundwater that is replenished by local precipitation; the other half comes from the California Aqueduct.
The California Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison also known as Tehachapi State Prison, is in the area. Edwards Air Force Base lies to the east.
The Tehachapi area has been a center for renewable wind energy, containing 4,531 turbines that produce 3,200 megawatts of electricity as of 2019. In the same year, Amazon announced it would begin sourcing wind energy from Tehachapi as part of its goal to become carbon-neutral by 2040. The Tehachapi Energy Storage Project, commissioned in 2014, is located at Monolith Substation.
In 2019, a Walmart store opened in Tehachapi, which would provide up to 200 full and part-time jobs.
Recreation and culture