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Bakersfield, CA


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Bakersfield, California

Introduction to Bakersfield, California

Settled in 1858, Bakersfield is a city of almost 300,000 people. According to the Bakersfield municipal web site, Bakersfield is the 13th largest city in California. The metropolitan Bakersfield area has a population over 450,000 people.

Bakersfield is located in inland Southern California, an hour and fifty minutes north of Los Angeles. The city was a past finalist and a past winner of the National Civic League's coveted "All-America City Award".

Bakersfield was originally inhabited by the Yokuts Indians eight thousand years ago. Spanish missionaries were the first Europeans to visit the area in the later part of the eighteenth century. The discovery of gold on the Kern River in 1851 attracted the first wave of pioneers. The City of Bakersfield was formally incorporated in 1898.

Bakersfield has a warm Southern California climate. January is the coolest month of the year with average daily temperatures of 57 degrees Fahrenheit. July is the hottest month of the year with an average daily temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Bakersfield receives an average of just under six inches of rain a year.

Bakersfield Arts and Entertainment

For a city of modest size, Bakersfield provides a good assortment of arts and cultural offerings. Some of the more notable include:

  • The Rabobank Arena Theater & Convention Center
  • The McMurtrey Aquatics Center
  • The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra
  • The Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace
  • The Fox Theatre

For the sports enthusiast, Bakersfield is home to ECHL Bakersfield Condors Hockey Team. Bakersfield also has its own Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team, the Bakersfield Blaze. The Blaze are a Class A Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Of course, The city is also within a couple of hours of all of the sporting attractions of Los Angeles.

Bakersfield and the surrounding areas provide the opportunity for a wealth of outdoor activities, including: auto racing, fishing, biking, camping, golf, hiking and backpacking, jet skiing, kayaking, mountain biking, tennis, white water rafting, and more.

Comparative Profile of Bakersfield, CA

Comparing Bakersfield to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in California (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Children Under 5 Years Old108
Racial Diversity78
Female Share of the Population67
Male Share of the Population54
Well-Paid Single Men34
Senior Citizens33
Age of the Population23

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Average Household Size96
Portion of People Married85

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Median Family Income55
People in Middle Class or Better44
People Above Poverty43
College Educated Adults35

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Short Commute Times78
Working at Home64
Walking and Biking to Work44
Public Transportation Use36

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Housing Recently Built99
Affordability of Rents78
Affordability of Property Taxes56
Seasonal and Vacation Housing45
People Living Alone36
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals25

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime52
Low Property Crime52

Detailed pages on related topics: Bakersfield colleges • Bakersfield travel • Bakersfield mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Bakersfield CareersBakersfield Careers
Bakersfield career and employment information.
Bakersfield CollegesBakersfield Colleges
Bakersfield colleges and trade schools.
Bakersfield Hotels & TravelBakersfield Hotels & Travel
Bakersfield hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Bakersfield MortgageBakersfield Mortgage
Bakersfield property, mortgage, and real estate.

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