City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Bakersfield, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bakersfield - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

408,366
Residents
$77,397
Median income
$347,300
Median home
$1,483
Median rent (state)

Bakersfield - the verdict

Nationally, Bakersfield sits in the 59th percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
16th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield is a mid-sized U.S. city in California, home to 408,366 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Bakersfield households earn a median of $77,397 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.4%. Home values in Bakersfield run a median of $347,300, and the median resident age is 31.9 years. About 23.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 1,853 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 26% from five years earlier. Bakersfield's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3024.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 66.2°F with 6.4 inches of precipitation per year and 0.1 inches of snowfall.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,483 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

408,366 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$77,397 /yr

Poverty 12.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Bakersfield compare to other US cities?

Bakersfield measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Bakersfield ranks #359 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Bakersfield's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

59thIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bakersfield's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bakersfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Bakersfield's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bakersfield's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$347,300 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bakersfield $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bakersfield, CA Bakersfield, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bakersfield, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bakersfield, CA median $77,397/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bakersfield, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bakersfield, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
408,366
Median Income
$77,397
Median Home Value
$347,300
Median Age
31.9
Poverty Rate
12.4%
Labor force participation
58.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3024.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
554.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2469.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
66.2°F
Annual Precipitation
6.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"

Schools

Total Schools
146
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
400,000 residents410,000 residents420,000 residents430,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 405,185 residents 422,165 residents ▲ +4.2%
Bakersfield's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
1,853
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1,547
detached homes
Multifamily
306
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,472
2020 1,738
2021 1,162
2022 1,780
2023 1,471
2024 1,853

Permit volume increased 26% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.4%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
7.1%
Other
1.4%

Based on 169,658 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bakersfield sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,483/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Oakland
438,072 people
Long Beach
458,491 people
Anaheim
344,553 people
Stockton
320,470 people
Riverside
316,241 people
Santa Ana
311,639 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bakersfield's 408,366 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Tulsa, OK
412,322 people
Wichita, KS
396,488 people
Arlington, TX
394,769 people
Tampa, FL
393,389 people
Aurora, CO
390,201 people
Minneapolis, MN
426,845 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bakersfield's $77,397 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Coral Terrace, FL
$77,396 median income
Delmar, MD
$77,402 median income
Clever, MO
$77,403 median income
Hopewell Junction, NY
$77,391 median income
Marquette Heights, IL
$77,386 median income
Pennside, PA
$77,411 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bakersfield, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bakersfield, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 46.9% 6.2% 7.8% 17.1% 20.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 53.6% White 46.9% Black or African American 6.2% Asian 7.8% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 17.1% Two or more races 20.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bakersfield compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bakersfield (this city) 408,366 $77,397
Oakland 438,072 $97,369
Long Beach 458,491 $83,969
Anaheim 344,553 $90,583
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bakersfield, CA?

What is the population of Bakersfield, CA? +

408,366 people live in Bakersfield, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bakersfield, CA? +

The median household income in Bakersfield is $77,397 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bakersfield? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bakersfield; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Bakersfield, CA safe? +

Bakersfield has a total crime rate of 3024.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bakersfield, CA? +

Homes in Bakersfield carry a median value of $347,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bakersfield? +

Climate normals put Bakersfield's yearly average temperature at 66.2°F, 6.4 inches of precipitation, and 0.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.