What it's like to live in Bakersfield
Bakersfield is a large city in California. The numbers below lay out what daily life there actually looks like.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bakersfield deals with unemployment above the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and hospital ratings below the national average.
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Bakersfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bakersfield
Based on Bakersfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,944
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $58,880 a year
- 53% of Bakersfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$74,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,170
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,472/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,472 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $371,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $371,700 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 53% above US
6.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.6%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 51% above US
496 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2260/100k · Bakersfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 95°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
5 hospitals
There are 5 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.3 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
105 public schools inside the boundary
There are 105 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is César E. Chávez National Monument (28 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Bakersfield's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,472/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bakersfield
All California guides →Moving to East Bakersfield →
4 mi away · pop. 11,062
Rent $1,090/mo · Income $38,644
Compare with Bakersfield →Moving to Potomac Park →
4 mi away · pop. 10,138
Rent $1,218/mo · Income $51,166
Compare with Bakersfield →Moving to Hillcrest →
5 mi away · pop. 10,511
Rent $1,259/mo · Income $46,285
Compare with Bakersfield →Not sure Bakersfield is the one?
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