Is Bakersfield a good place to live? The short answer
Bakersfield is one of the few large California cities where a household on a median income can still buy a house. Four numbers frame the decision:
- $385,686: Zillow's typical home value in September 2026, about half the California figure of $761,538.
- $80,540: the city's median household income in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey, against $99,122 statewide.
- 98.6 degrees: the average July high at the Bakersfield airport weather station, with just 6.17 inches of rain a year.
- Most polluted: the American Lung Association's 2026 State of the Air report ranked Bakersfield the most polluted U.S. city for year-round particle pollution.
If housing cost, a short commute and access to both the coast and the Sierra matter most to you, Bakersfield scores well. If heat, air quality and a smaller job market for degree-holders weigh more, it scores less well. The sections below give the evidence on each side.
Pros of living in Bakersfield
Pro: Bakersfield homes cost about half the state typical value
Zillow's typical Bakersfield value of $385,686 is roughly $376,000 below the California figure. Redfin's median sale price for the city was $419,800 in the three months to September 2026. In much of coastal California that buys a condo; here it buys a detached house, which is 71.8% of the city's housing stock. Our Bakersfield housing market page tracks prices by ZIP.
Pro: More Bakersfield households own their homes
The Census survey puts owner-occupancy at 60.6% of Bakersfield households, above the state's 55.9%. Ownership within reach is the main reason people move here from higher-cost parts of California, and it keeps neighborhoods stable.
Pro: Shorter commutes than most of California
Bakersfield workers average 23.6 minutes to work, against 28.7 minutes statewide. Most drive: 79.1% commute alone by car and 0.4% use public transit.
Pro: Rents are still lower than the coast
Zillow's observed rent for Bakersfield was $1,901 a month in September 2026, up 3.1% in a year. The Census median gross rent, which includes older and long-held leases, was $1,472. Both are well below what coastal California renters pay, which makes Bakersfield a lower-risk place to rent first and buy later.
Pro: The Kern River Parkway Trail
Visit Bakersfield describes the Kern River Parkway Trail as a 30-mile paved path along the river, passing the Panorama Vista Preserve, the Kern County Museum, Sam Lynn Ballpark and The Park at Riverwalk with its amphitheater, and ending at Enos Lane (State Route 43). It links many neighborhoods to a car-free route for cycling and running.
Pro: Golf, clubs and open space close to home
Bakersfield has long-established private clubs, including Stockdale Country Club, founded in 1925 on the former Tevis family estate at 7001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield Country Club in the northeast hills, and Seven Oaks Country Club with 27 holes in the southwest. Lake Ming and the Kern River canyon to the east are used for boating, rafting and fishing.
Pro: Within reach of the Sierra
Builders here market the drive to Sequoia National Park and to Lake Isabella for camping, so mountain weekends are realistic without paying mountain-town prices to live. Lennar's Beneva Glen page says Sequoia National Park is a short trip away.
Pro: Direct flights from Meadows Field
Meadows Field Airport (BFL) lists nonstop United flights to San Francisco and Denver and American flights to Phoenix and Dallas, so you can reach a hub without driving to Los Angeles. Check the airport's site for the current schedule and any Los Angeles service.
Pro: Newer homes on the edges of the city
About 35% of Bakersfield's housing was built in 2000 or later, according to the Census survey, and builders including Lennar, D.R. Horton and K. Hovnanian are still selling new homes in the southwest and east. See new construction in Bakersfield.
Cons of living in Bakersfield
Con: Long, very hot summers
The Western Regional Climate Center's long-term summary for the Bakersfield airport station (1937 to 2016) shows average highs of 92.1 degrees in June, 98.6 in July, 96.7 in August and 91.0 in September. Summer cooling bills are a real budget line, and outdoor time from June to September is mostly early morning or evening.
Con: Air quality ranks among the worst in the country
The American Lung Association's 2026 State of the Air report, covering 2022 to 2024, ranked Bakersfield the most polluted U.S. city for annual particle pollution, third for short-term particle pollution with 26.2 unhealthy days, and third for ozone with 75 days. The same report notes improvement: Bakersfield recorded its lowest annual particle levels and its fewest unhealthy particle days on record. Anyone with asthma or heart or lung conditions should weigh this seriously.
Con: Valley fever
Valley fever is a fungal infection caught by breathing spores from soil; the CDC says it does not spread from person to person, and about 5% to 10% of people who get it develop serious or long-term lung problems. KVPR reported in May 2025 that Kern County led California with more than 900 infections in the first part of that year. The spores live in soil and get into the air with dust, so ask a doctor about symptoms if you develop a lingering cough after moving.
Con: Crime rates above the state average
Bakersfield Police Department figures reported to the California Department of Justice show 2,081 violent crimes and 9,400 property crimes in 2025. Using the state's January 1, 2025 population estimate of 421,377 as the base, that is about 4.9 violent and 22.3 property crimes per 1,000 residents, against about 4.3 and 17.8 per 1,000 for California as a whole. Property crime reports fell from 16,359 in 2022. These are citywide rates and say nothing about a particular street; see our Bakersfield crime data guide for how to check an address.
Con: Lower incomes and a narrower job base
The median household income is about $18,600 below the state's, the Census survey put the city's unemployment rate at 7.0%, and 16.3% of residents live below the poverty line. If your field is tech or finance, check how many local jobs exist before you move, or plan to keep a remote role.
Con: Few transit options
Golden Empire Transit runs fixed bus routes, including lines serving Cal State Bakersfield and Bakersfield College, but only 0.4% of commuters use public transit. Plan on a car for every adult driver in the household.
Con: A spread-out city
Bakersfield covers a large area, and errands can mean long drives. One resident review of Solera at Kern Canyon on 55places said the nearest full grocery store was about 10 miles away. Check drive times to the places you will go every week.
What living in Bakersfield is like
Climate in Bakersfield by season
Winters are cool and short, with average January lows of 38.5 degrees and highs of 57.4. Almost all of the 6.17 inches of yearly rain falls from November to April, and measurable snow is close to zero. Spring and fall are the comfortable seasons; average highs reach 84.2 in May and 80.5 in October.
Getting around Bakersfield
Highway 99 and Highway 58 are the main freeways through the city, and most trips are by car. Golden Empire Transit operates the local bus network, Meadows Field handles commercial flights, and the city's bike network is anchored by the Kern River Parkway Trail.
Things to do in Bakersfield
Locals use the river trail, the parks along it and The Park at Riverwalk, Sam Lynn Ballpark, the Kern County Museum, golf at public and private courses, and day trips to the Kern River canyon, Lake Isabella and Sequoia National Park. Golden Empire Transit runs bus lines to both Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield.
Salary needed to live in Bakersfield
MIT's Living Wage Calculator for Kern County, updated February 15, 2026, estimates the pre-tax income a household needs to cover basic costs without assistance:
| Household (Kern County) | Living wage per hour | Required annual income before taxes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult, no children | $24.07 | $50,069 |
| 1 adult, 1 child | $41.32 | $85,946 |
| 2 working adults, no children | $15.88 each | $66,042 |
| 2 working adults, 2 children | $28.46 each | $118,407 |
These are survival budgets, not comfortable ones, and they assume renting. To buy, the math changes: at Freddie Mac's 7.24% rate in late October 2026, a $385,686 home with 10% down costs about $2,366 a month in principal and interest before taxes and insurance, which typically requires a household income above $100,000. Compare that with the city's median income of $80,540.
Who's moving to Bakersfield
The Census survey shows a settled population. Of 406,546 residents aged one and older, 90.1% lived in the same home a year earlier and 7.3% moved within Kern County. About 7,114 people a year moved in from another California county, 2,375 from another state and 1,190 from abroad. The city's median age is 32.1, younger than California as a whole, and 11.3% of residents are 65 or older.
Most moves are within the region, with a smaller flow from elsewhere in California and other states. Our moving out of California and cheapest places to live in California guides compare Bakersfield with other options.
Retiring in Bakersfield
Retirees who want to stay in California at a lower cost will find several 55+ communities, including Kern City, built by Del Webb from 1961, and gated communities such as Solera at Kern Canyon, Four Seasons at Bakersfield, Brighton Parks, The Greens at Seven Oaks and Highgate Regents. See our Bakersfield 55+ communities and gated communities guides.
Weigh the summer heat and air quality against the savings. California's Proposition 19 lets homeowners 55 and older carry a lower taxable value from a home they sell to a replacement home anywhere in the state, which can make a move from a coastal home to Bakersfield cheaper to own; see our Prop 19 guide for the rules and the filing deadline.
Where to live in Bakersfield
Prices split clearly by area. On Zillow's September 2026 neighborhood index, the highest-valued areas inside the city are Masterpiece Estates ($702,007), Brimhall Estates ($696,406), Seven Oaks ($642,965) and Olde Stockdale ($641,408). Mid-range areas include Haggin Oaks ($523,804), Riverlakes ($424,901) and Laurelglen ($386,910). Older central and east-side neighborhoods such as Oleander Sunset ($268,663), Casa Loma ($249,869) and East Bakersfield ($220,537) have the lowest entry prices.
By ZIP code, Redfin's three-month median sale prices to September 2026 run from $559,304 in 93314 and $513,599 in 93311 to $294,413 in 93305. Our Bakersfield neighborhoods guide profiles each area, and the ZIP codes guide covers each ZIP. For schools, look up any address with the district before you buy; see Bakersfield schools.
Should you move to Bakersfield? A checklist
- Visit in July or August and spend an afternoon outside. If the heat is a deal-breaker, it is better to learn that before you buy.
- Check the air on the regional air district's daily forecast for a few weeks, especially in winter and late summer.
- Confirm the job or remote arrangement before you move; local wages run below the state median.
- Price the full monthly cost: mortgage, Kern County property tax, any Mello-Roos, insurance and summer power bills. Our Bakersfield cost of living page and Kern County property tax guide help.
- Check the address, not the city: flood zone, crime data, school assignment and drive times differ by street.
- Rent first if unsure. With Zillow rent at $1,901 a month, a year of renting is a modest cost for knowing the city.
- Talk to a local agent about which areas match your budget and commute; our Bakersfield guide explains how to choose one.