Living in Bakersfield, CA
Big city in California
Bakersfield is a big city in California, home to about 408,000 people, with 694,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Bakersfield a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
- Low natural disaster risk: 7 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $354k and rents for $2,060 a month
- Easy flying: BUR is 88 mi away
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 1% property tax
- Smaller job market: about 694,000 people live within 31 mi
- Hot summers: highs around 95°F
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Bakersfield ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Bakersfield: common questions
What is the cost of living in Bakersfield?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $354k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,060 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 101, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Bakersfield?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Bakersfield safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield has mild winters: winter days average around 60°F and summer days around 95°F.
Does Bakersfield get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes, flooding and heat waves: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.6 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Bakersfield?
The nearest major airport is BUR, about 88 mi away.
How Bakersfield scores
Each bar compares Bakersfield with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Bakersfield right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.