The Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat occurs on maritime slopes covered with chaparral or a mixture of chaparral and oaks. It burrows in sandy, well-drained, deep soils. Subspecies venustus and sanctiluciae inhabit chaparral and chaparral mixed with oaks or digger pine, including sandy, well-drained, and deep soils that have been disturbed by human activity, typically on steep slopes. Shelters and nests are in underground burrows and burrows have been found in open, abandoned agricultural land; one individual may have multiple burrows. Subspecies elephantinus occurs on slopes, flats, and ridgetops with friable soil in mixed and chamise chaparral in oak/pine woodland zone, typically under dense vegetation (sympatric Dipodomys heermanni occupies adjacent open habitat) (Best 1986). Young are born in underground burrows. The Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat produces one to two litters of two to four young each year (see Best 1992). Diet includes seeds of annuals and some green vegetation. Caches seeds underground or in surface pits.

The species' range includes coastal mountains of west-central California in the United States; the species is historically known from San Mateo County southward to San Luis Obispo County, and east to San Benito County; from near sea level to 1,770 m asl (Best 1992, Best et al. 1996).

The range of the species includes a few protected areas.