Bakersfield CA
California · Pop. 411,986
Bakersfield, CA: median household income of $80,540, median rent of $1,472/mo, 7.0% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$80,540
per year
Median Rent
$1,472
per month
Median Home
$372k
home value
Unemployment
7.0%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
16.3%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
24 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Bakersfield, CA Reality Check"
In Bakersfield, the rent-to-income burden runs around 22% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $80,540 and median rent is $1,472/month. 53% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $371,700 — that's 4.6× the median income. 61% of households own their home — unusually high for a major US city. Residents put down roots here. Employment picture: 7.01% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 16.3%. Average commute: 24 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 42.4/100k avg monthly rate (6055 reported); Property crime: 345.5/100k avg monthly rate (49224 reported). Bakersfield was founded in 1869 — that's 157 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 143.6 sq miles at 2,869 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 404 ft — modest elevation. Bakersfield has 6 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 63/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 42.4/100k avg monthly rate (6055 reported); Property crime: 345.5/100k avg monthly rate (49224 reported).