As home to Edwards Air Force Base the Air Force's main flight test facility, Kern County has been the site of many aeronautic milestones, including the first supersonic flight and the first landing of the Space Shuttle. Kern County is also the home of the first inland spaceport in the United States, the Mojave Spaceport. Kern County is also home to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station at Ridgecrest where many weapons used by the Navy were developed and tested, including the Sidewinder missile.

Between 1983 and 1986, several ritual sex ring child abuse cases allegedly occurred in Kern County. These resulted in numerous long prison sentences, all of which were overturned, some only decades later. The Kern County cases marked the beginning of a series of similar cases all over North America and beyond.

Currently, Kern County is represented by 5 District Supervisors. John McQuiston representing the 1st District, Don Maben representing the 2nd District, Barbara Patrick representing the 3rd District, Ray Watson representing the 4th District, and Michael J. Rubio representing the 5th District