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Bakersfield, CA

Full City Profile · California · Kern County County

3.0 /5.0
B Good
408,366 Population 2,718/sq mi density
$77,397 Median Income $32,956 per capita
$347,300 Home Value $391,443 Zillow
$1,371 Median Rent 32.3% income on rent
68°F Avg Temperature 340 sunny days/yr
455 Violent Crime/100K 4,142 property/100K
B
Overall
3.0 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.8 / 5.0
$77,397 median income, 4.4% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.2 / 5.0
$347,300 home value, $1,371/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
455 violent crimes/100K (20% above avg)
C+
Education
2.9 / 5.0
23.3% bachelor's degree or higher

Bakersfield, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$77,397
3% above
$32,956 per capita
Home Value
$347,300
23% above
Zillow: $391,443
Median Rent
$1,371/mo
18% above
32.3% of income on rent
Violent Crime
455/100K
20% above
4,142/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
23.3%
31% below
81.9% high school+
Unemployment
4.4%
22% above
12.4% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
34.7%
8% above
13.5% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
68°F
340 sunny days/yr

How Bakersfield Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Bakersfield's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
103%
Home Value
123%
Rent
118%
Poverty
100%
Bachelor's
69%
Unemployment
122%
Crime
120%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Bakersfield a Good Place to Live?

B
3.0 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Bakersfield residents earn a median household income of $77,397 , which is 3% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $32,956. The unemployment rate stands at 4.4% (22% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 12.4% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 27,950 business establishments, including 1,569 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Bakersfield is $347,300 , 23% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $391,443. Median rent is $1,371/month, with 32.3% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1989.

Safety & Crime

Bakersfield reports 455 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 20% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 4,142/100K. The murder rate is 8.8/100K.

Education

23.3% of adults in Bakersfield hold a bachelor's degree or higher (31% below the national average). 81.9% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Bakersfield has an average annual temperature of 68°F (20°C). Winters average 50°F in January while summers reach 92°F in July. The area gets 340 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 18.1 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.

Data Overview

People

Population408,366
Median Age31.9 yrs
Density2,718/mi²
Male / Female50% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans4.6%

Economy

B+
Median Income$77,397
Per Capita$32,956
Unemployment4.4%
Poverty12.4%
County GDP$63,070M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,155

Housing

A
Home Value$347,300
Rent$1,371
Ownership60.1%
Zillow$391,443
Housing Units131,310
Rent Burden32.3%

Crime

F
Violent455/100K
Property4,142/100K
Murder8.8/100K
Assault236/100K
Burglary1,002/100K

Health

Obesity34.7%
Diabetes12.6%
Smoking13.5%
Heart Disease5.8%
Premature Death10,697/100K

Climate

Avg Temp68°F
Sunny Days340/yr
Rain18.1 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation384 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+23.3%
High School+81.9%
Graduate+8.1%
School Score4.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 59% / D 38%
Commute24 min
Broadband92.9%
Internet Speed79 Mbps
EV Stations129
Libraries28

Did You Know?

Bakersfield was founded in 1869.
The median home in Bakersfield was built in 1989.
The nearest airport is Santa Barbara Municipal (79 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.470 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
10.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 1,569 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 197 fatal vehicle crashes.
273 declared natural disasters on record.