Bakersfield, California
Among the top 1% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 6% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 99% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 15% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 77% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 41% of US places
- top 4% for sunny days
- top 5% for walkability
- bottom 3% for income tax
Bakersfield is a major city in California with about 404,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include sunny days, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on property crime and income tax.
Official websitevisitbakersfield.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
warm
comf.
cool
98%63%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.5 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 34% of US places
Home Value$321k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 21% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.04%better than 47% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden20.76%better than 5% of US places
Unemployment7.1%better than 25% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)49°F88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation8.6 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.1 inbetter than 87% of US places
Sunny Days303 daysbetter than 96% of US places
Summer Humidity52°Fbetter than 89% of US places
Comfortable Days103 daysbetter than 89% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk61.0better than 57% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 17% of US places
School Quality71.3better than 67% of US places
Violent Crime1321/100kbetter than 23% of US places
Property Crime3978/100kbetter than 3% of US places
Community
Population404,321100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.512th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6697th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9953rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)29.8%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.1%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)52.9%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.3%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 65% of US places
Walkability13.0/20better than 95% of US places
Airport Distance101 mibetter than 36% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.0%better than 72% of US places
Amenities Nearby5.94better than 13% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 55% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bakersfield an affordable place to live?
- Bakersfield is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Bakersfield?
- The median home value in Bakersfield is $321k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Bakersfield?
- Median household income in Bakersfield is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Bakersfield?
- Median gross rent in Bakersfield is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Bakersfield safe?
- Bakersfield is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1321/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 3978/100k.
- What is the weather like in Bakersfield?
- Bakersfield averages 83°F in July and 49°F in January, with 8.6 in of annual precipitation and about 303 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Bakersfield?
- Public-school quality in Bakersfield is above average, scoring better than 67% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Bakersfield?
- The average one-way commute in Bakersfield is 24 min.
Other places in Kern County
Places near Bakersfield
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)