Editing Inyokern, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See the table at Template:Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of their usage. -->
|official_name            = Inyokern
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|nickname                 = Sunshine Capital of America
|image_skyline            = Inyokern.jpg
|image_caption            = Inyokern entrance sign
|image_map                = Kern_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Inyokern_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location in [[Kern County, California|Kern County]] and the state of [[California]]
| pushpin_map = USA California Southern#USA California#USA
| pushpin_label = Inyokern
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|California}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Kern County, California|Kern]]

|leader_title1            = [[California's 16th State Senate district|State senator]]
|leader_name1             = {{Representative|casd|16|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd>{{Cite web
 | url = http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html
 | title = Statewide Database
 | publisher = [[Regents of the University of California]]
 | access-date = April 6, 2015
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html
 | archive-date = February 1, 2015
 | url-status = dead
 }}</ref>
|leader_title2            = [[California's 34th State Assembly district|Assemblymember]]
|leader_name2             = {{Representative|caad|34|fmt=sleader}}<ref name=swd/>
|leader_title3            = [[California's 23rd congressional district|U. S. rep.]]
|leader_name3             = {{Representative|cacd|23|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|23}}</ref>
|established_date         = 
<!-- Area------------------>
|unit_pref                = US
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 30, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_sq_mi         = 10.928
|area_land_sq_mi          = 10.927
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.001
|area_total_km2           = 28.303
|area_land_km2            = 28.301
|area_water_km2           = 0.002
|area_water_percent       = 0.01

|elevation_ft             = 2434
|elevation_m              = 742
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|April 1, 2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 988
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific]]
|utc_offset               = -8
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|38|49|N|117|48|45|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis>{{gnis|243875}}</ref>
|timezone_DST             = [[Pacific Daylight Time|PDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -7
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 93527
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area codes]]
|area_code                = [[Area codes 442 and 760|442/760]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
|blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|36658}}
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|243875}}, {{GNIS 4|2408430}}
}}
'''Inyokern''' (formerly Siding 16 and Magnolia)<ref name=CGN /> is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Kern County, California]], United States. Its name derives from its location near the border between [[Inyo County, California|Inyo]] and Kern Counties. Inyokern is located {{convert|8|mi|km|0}} west of [[Ridgecrest, California|Ridgecrest]],<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|1050}}</ref> at an elevation of {{Convert|2434|feet|}}.<ref name=gnis /> It is on the western side of the [[Indian Wells Valley]]. The population was 988 in the 2020 census, down from 1,099 in the 2010 census. 
It was a railroad town established along the [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific]] railroad's Lone Pine Branch (now removed) and with WWII became site of the [[Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake]].

It is served by [[Inyokern Airport]].

==Geography==
Inyokern is located at {{Coord|35|38|49|N|117|48|45|W|type:city}}<ref name=gnis /> about {{convert|8|mi|km|0}} west of [[Ridgecrest, California|Ridgecrest]],<ref name=CGN/> at an elevation of {{Convert|2434|feet|}}.<ref name=gnis /> It is on the western side of the [[Indian Wells Valley]], with the eastern slopes of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] rising to the west.

It is on [[U.S. Route 395 (California)|U.S. Route 395]], the main north–south artery connecting the [[Inland Empire (California)|Inland Empire]] to [[Reno, Nevada]]. US 395 also connects Inyokern to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] via [[California State Route 14|State Route 14]] through [[Palmdale, California|Palmdale]].

[[California State Route 178|State Route 178]], the main east–west artery, connects Inyokern to [[Bakersfield, California|Bakersfield]], the county seat, via [[Lake Isabella, California|Lake Isabella]] in the west, and to [[Death Valley, California|Death Valley]] via [[Ridgecrest, California|Ridgecrest]] in the east.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|10.9|sqmi|km2}}, over 99% of it land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|2000= 984
|2010= 1099
|2020= 988
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}

===2020===
The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Inyokern had a population of 988. The population density was {{convert|90.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Inyokern was 718 (72.7%) [[White Americans|White]], 9 (0.9%) [[African Americans|African American]], 27 (2.7%) [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 27 (2.7%) [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 1 (0.1%) [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 58 (5.9%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 148 (15.0%) from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 158 persons (16.0%).<ref name=DP1>{{cite web |title=Inyokern CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0636658 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}</ref>

The whole population lived in households. There were 441 households, out of which 92 (20.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 204 (46.3%) were married-couple households, 36 (8.2%) were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 98 (22.2%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 103 (23.4%) had a male householder with no partner present. 133 households (30.2%) were one person, and 72 (16.3%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.24.<ref name=DP1/> There were 279 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (63.3% of all households).<ref>{{cite web |title=Inyokern CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0636658 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=May 22, 2025}}</ref>

The age distribution was 191 people (19.3%) under the age of 18, 49 people (5.0%) aged 18 to 24, 195 people (19.7%) aged 25 to 44, 325 people (32.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 228 people (23.1%) who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 51.5{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males.<ref name=DP1/>

There were 498 housing units at an average density of {{convert|45.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 441 (88.6%) were occupied. Of these, 348 (78.9%) were owner-occupied, and 93 (21.1%) were occupied by renters.<ref name=DP1/>

===2010===
The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0636658|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715025742/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0636658|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Inyokern CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Inyokern had a population of 1,099. The population density was {{convert|100.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Inyokern was 930 (84.6%) [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 14 (1.3%) [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 24 (2.2%) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 25 (2.3%) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2 (0.2%) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 49 (4.5%) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 55 (5.0%) from two or more races.  [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 116 persons (10.6%).

The Census reported that 1,099 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 484 households, out of which 111 (22.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 219 (45.2%) were [[marriage|opposite-sex married couples]] living together, 38 (7.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 21 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present.  There were 29 (6.0%) [[POSSLQ|unmarried opposite-sex partnerships]], and 4 (0.8%) [[same-sex partnerships|same-sex married couples or partnerships]]. 179 households (37.0%) were made up of individuals, and 73 (15.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27.  There were 278 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (57.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.01.

The population was spread out, with 222 people (20.2%) under the age of 18, 74 people (6.7%) aged 18 to 24, 201 people (18.3%) aged 25 to 44, 406 people (36.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 196 people (17.8%) who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.8 males.

There were 537 housing units at an average density of {{convert|49.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}, of which 355 (73.3%) were owner-occupied, and 129 (26.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%.  776 people (70.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 323 people (29.4%) lived in rental housing units.

==Climate==

The [[climate]] of Inyokern, California, is predominantly influenced by its [[High Desert (California)|high desert]] location. The [[climate]] is characterized by hot days and cool nights with extremely arid conditions prevailing throughout the [[summer]] months. The mean annual [[temperature]] for the Inyokern area is {{Convert|70|F|}}. Wide annual temperature fluctuations occur from a high of {{Convert|118|F|}} to a low of {{Convert|8|F|}}.

January is the coolest month with an average maximum temperature of {{Convert|47|F|}} and an average minimum temperature of {{Convert|22|F|}}. The all-time minimum temperature of {{Convert|-12|F|}} was recorded on December 23, 1972, and January 7, 1973. Inyokern is in a desert, with an average of less than {{Convert|5|inch|}} of "equivalent rainfall" per year, which includes less than {{Convert|2|inch|}} of snow.

July is the hottest month with an average maximum temperature of {{Convert|108|F|}} and an average minimum temperature of {{Convert|80|F|}}. The all-time maximum temperature of {{Convert|118|F|}} was recorded on July 31, 1985.

{{Weather box
| location = Inyokern, California
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 80
| Feb record high F = 86
| Mar record high F = 93
| Apr record high F = 100
| May record high F = 112
| Jun record high F = 114
| Jul record high F = 119
| Aug record high F = 114
| Sep record high F = 110
| Oct record high F = 105
| Nov record high F = 88
| Dec record high F = 84
| Jan high F = 59.6
| Feb high F = 64.8
| Mar high F = 70.3
| Apr high F = 77.7
| May high F = 87.0
| Jun high F = 96.7
| Jul high F = 102.7
| Aug high F = 101.2
| Sep high F = 94.2
| Oct high F = 83.2
| Nov high F = 69.0
| Dec high F = 59.7
| Jan low F = 30.8
| Feb low F = 34.6
| Mar low F = 38.7
| Apr low F = 44.3
| May low F = 52.9
| Jun low F = 60.5
| Jul low F = 66.2
| Aug low F = 64.6
| Sep low F = 58.1
| Oct low F = 48.2
| Nov low F = 37.3
| Dec low F = 30.2
| Jan record low F = 1
| Feb record low F = 9
| Mar record low F = 15
| Apr record low F = 21
| May record low F = 26
| Jun record low F = 38
| Jul record low F = 46
| Aug record low F = 45
| Sep record low F = 35
| Oct record low F = 20
| Nov record low F = 14
| Dec record low F = 5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.74
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.95
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.55
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.17
| May precipitation inch = 0.07
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.02
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.16
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.22
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.20
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.10
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.38
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.59
| Year precipitation inch = 
| Jan snow inch = 0.3
| Feb snow inch = 0.0
| Mar snow inch = 0.1
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 0.2
| source 1 = <ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca4278
|title=Inyokern, California (044278)
|access-date=June 2, 2016
|publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}</ref>
| date = June 2016
| source = 
}}

==History==

Inyokern was founded in the mid-19th century as an agrarian community located in the northernmost corner of the Mojave Desert.  It expanded during construction of the [[Owens Valley aqueduct]].<ref name=CGN /> The first post office opened in 1910.<ref name=CGN />

The Inyokern Elementary School was founded in 1913. The original building was replaced in the mid-1930s by a larger building with a stage and indoor restrooms. This building was demolished in the early 1970s. In the 1930s, half a dozen irrigated farms were scattered around Indian Wells Valley, growing mostly alfalfa and livestock. Community events were held in Inyokern Hall, which still stands.

With the onset of World War II, the US Navy located its new [[Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake]] in Inyokern.  This accounts for the length of the runways and the size of the county airport.  The military base was subsequently moved{{when|date=March 2023}} to the east {{convert|12|mi|km}} and the city of Ridgecrest was established as a commercial support center for that base.

==Present time==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}
Today{{when|date=March 2023}} Inyokern serves as a sparsely-populated bedroom community for workers on the base desiring a more rural lifestyle.

The town infrastructure consists of two churches, a post office, market and gas station, convenience store and gas station, a variety store, hardware store, welding and blacksmith shop, a county park, two restaurants, a motel, an autobody shop and several antique shops. In the 1990s the building which formerly housed the library was demolished and replaced by a Senior Citizen's Center.  Inyokern also had a now-closed [[Kern County Sheriff's Department|Kern County Sheriff's Office]] substation and a [[California Department of Transportation|Caltrans]] road maintenance center and a motorcycle shop and blanket store.  The town water and sewer system is managed by the Community Services Center.  The population of the town peaked circa 1988 following a period of expansion on the naval base, but has dwindled since then, and many properties were abandoned during the military downsizing of the 1990s.  Until the 1990s, the main commercial block of the town along highway 178 was a somewhat picturesque street of older buildings constructed of local rock and bricks, including a vintage post office, cafe, three bars, and a small Chinese restaurant.  This street is sometimes used in filming Hollywood westerns.  The Inyokern airport is used to film commercials.

==Environment==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2023}}
Characterized by extreme aridity, Inyokern is situated in a wide valley at the base of the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.  Rugged mountains more than {{Convert|9000|feet|}} in elevation west of the area create a pronounced rain-shadow effect, resulting in a shrub-steppe habitat zone with annual rainfall of less than {{convert|3|in|mm}}.  The flora of the valley floor consists primarily of [[Creosote Bush]] (''Larrea tridentata''), [[Burrobush]] (''Ambrosia dumosa''), and several varieties of native bunch grasses.  The transition zone of the nearby foothills also contain mixtures of [[pinyon pine]], [[Joshua tree]] forests, and concentrated riparian habitat surrounding the small streams descending from the mountain peaks.

Wildlife ranges from [[American black bear|black bear]], [[mountain lion]], and [[whitetail deer]] in the mountain and transition zones to the [[kangaroo rat]] and the endangered [[desert tortoise]] on the valley floor.  A special note on the local wildlife is the local subspecies of rattlesnake, the [[Mojave rattlesnake]] (also called the Mojave green rattlesnake). This snake, which is common in the area, produces  pit viper venom common to the general species but also produces a neuro-toxin that paralyzes the victim within 15 minutes. The subspecies is docile, and fatal bites are rare.
Indigenous animals that found in the valley floor are [[kit fox]]es, [[coyote]]s, [[bobcat]]s, and [[roadrunner]]s. Bears and mountain lions occasionally descend from the Sierra Nevada Mountains seeking food.{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}}

==Attractions==

As of 2008, Inyokern had the highest insolation of any locale on the North American continent, having over 355 days of sunshine each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/07/09/energy-solar-green-biz-energy-cx_bp_0709atlas.html|title=America's Best Places For Alternative Energy|first=William|last=Pentland|website=Forbes|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref>

As of 2018, the town was home to the past and current world champion musical saw players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ridgenet.net/~sawjim1/supersaw.html|title=Jim Leonard Musical Saw Specialist|website=ridgenet.net|access-date=9 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717202942/http://www.ridgenet.net/~sawjim1/supersaw.html|archive-date=17 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Inyokern Airport has been a popular location for car commercials, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://inyokernairport.com/Film_Production/index.html|title=Inyokern Airport|website=inyokernairport.com|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref>

==Transportation==

*[[Inyokern Airport]]
*Kern Transit
*Eastern Sierra Transit

==Churches==
*Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
*Inyokern Baptist Church
*Inyokern Community Methodist Church

==Media==
Inyokern is served by two newspapers, ''The [[The Daily Independent (Ridgecrest)|Daily Independent]]'' and the ''News Review'', as well as a mixture of local broadcast stations and repeaters from radio and TV stations based in Los Angeles, California. The repeaters are operated by the IWV TV Booster.

===AM radio stations===
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Inyokern-California.html|title=City-data - Inyokern-radio stations|work=analyzed data from numerous sources|access-date=2009-03-17}}</ref>

*KIRN (670 AM; 35&nbsp;kW; Simi Valley, CA; Owner: Lotus Oxnard)
*KLOA (1240 AM; 1&nbsp;kW; Ridgecrest, CA; Owner: Adelman Communications)
*KLAC (570 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Los Angeles, CA; Owner: AMFM Radio Licenses)
*KSPN (710 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Los Angeles, CA; Owner: KABC-AM Radio)
*KWDJ (1360 AM; 1&nbsp;kW; Ridgecrest, CA)
*KMJ (580 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Fresno, CA; Owner: Infinity Radio Operations)
*KFI (640 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Los Angeles, CA; Owner: Capstar TX Limited Partnership)
*KPLS (830 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Orange, CA; Owner: CRN Licenses)
*KFWB (980 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Los Angeles, CA; Owner: Infinity Broadcasting Operations)
*KDIS (1110 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Pasadena, CA; Owner: ABC)
*KTNQ (1020 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Los Angeles, CA; Owner: KTNQ-AM License Corp.)
*KERI (1180 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Wasco-Greenacres, CA; Owner: KWSO)
*KWRU (940 AM; 50&nbsp;kW; Fresno, CA)

=== FM radio stations ===
*KZIQ-FM (92.7 FM; Ridgecrest, CA; Owner: James Knudsen and Donna Knudsen)
*KLOA-FM (104.9 FM; Ridgecrest, CA; Owner: Adelman Communications)
*KRAJ (100.9 FM; Johannesburg, CA; Owner: Adelman Broadcasting)
*KGBM (89.7 FM; Randsburg, CA; Owner: Educational Media Foundation)
*K266AH (101.1 FM; Bena, CA; Owner: Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls)
*KTQX (90.1 FM; Bakersfield, CA; Owner: Radio Bilingue)
*KMYX-FM (92.5 FM; Arvin, CA; Owner: Farmworker Educational Radio Network)
*KKZQ (100.1 FM; Tehachapi, CA; Owner: High Desert Broadcasting)
*KVLI-FM (104.5 FM; Lake Isabella, CA; Owner: Robert J. and Katherine M. Bohn)
*KCNQ (102.5 FM; Kernville, CA; Owner: Robert J. and Katherine M. Bohn)
*K218DU (90.9 FM; Ridgecrest, CA; Owner: Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls)
*KCEL (106.9 FM; California City, CA; Owner: KCEL Radio)
*K206CO (89.1 FM; Ridgecrest, CA; Owner: Educational Media Foundation)

== Notable residents ==

* [[Lorien Stern]], artist<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Karina|first=Nina|title=Queen of the Desert: At Home Inside the Cute, Colorful Oasis of Artist Lorien Stern|url=https://bust.com/arts/198383-queen-of-the-desert-home-tour.html|journal=[[Bust (magazine)|Bust]]|volume=Summer 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal|California}}
{{Kern County, California}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inyokern, California}}
[[Category:Census-designated places in Kern County, California]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Mojave Desert]]
[[Category:Ridgecrest, California]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]