Bakersfield, California

What's the cost of living in Bakersfield, CA?

Bakersfield is more affordable than most other parts of California, though the cost of living in the area is still higher than what the average American encounters. Purchasing a home in Bakersfield will cost nearly three times less than in Los Angeles. Additionally, Bakersfield residents spend more than the average American on everyday expenses like food, utilities and transportation, but that amount pales in comparison to what Los Angeles residents spend. As a result, some of L.A. County's workforce opts to live in the Bakersfield area.

What's the best way to get around Bakersfield, CA?

Given the size of the metro area and the distance of some commutes, many people living in Bakersfield drive to work. Biking is also a popular commuting option and hobby, as the region features numerous bike lanes throughout the downtown area, not to mention a 30-mile bike path.

The Golden Empire Transit District operates public buses servicing the greater Bakersfield area, including nearby communities like Oildale and Stockdale.

Bakersfield's Meadows Field Airport is serviced by American Airlines and United Airlines, and offers short-haul flights to destinations like Phoenix and Denver. Amtrak trains stop in downtown Bakersfield on their daily route between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Bakersfield is also serviced by charter bus companies like Greyhound.

Who lives in Bakersfield, CA?

Bakersfield is home to a multigenerational, multicultural population. Diversity can be seen throughout the region from the wide variety of small mom-and-pop restaurants and shops selling international foods and goods. The metro area is known for its Basque restaurants, which have remained in the area long after people from the Pyrenees region of France and Spain first came to Bakersfield in search of gold.  

Much of Bakersfield's population is of working age, with about 10 percent of residents older than 65 and almost a third of the population younger than 20. Because of high-performing schools, neighborhoods in the northwest part of the metro area are particularly attractive to families.

Catholicism and Evangelical Protestant are the predominant religions here.

What is there to do in Bakersfield, CA?

Bakersfield residents find plenty of ways to enjoy the region's pleasant weather, from parks within the city limits to trails in the nearby Sequoia and Los Padres national forests.

Although major league sports don't have a presence in the area, hometown fans cheer on their minor league favorite, the Bakersfield Condors hockey team. Racing fans can take their pick of asphalt, dirt, autocross or drag racing at nearby tracks.

If museums are more your scene, the award-winning Bakersfield Museum of Art is a must-see, as is the California Living Museum, known as CALM, which exhibits animals and plants native to California.