Bakersfield, CA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2024 Population
915,075
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
US Senator
Adam Schiff
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
32.7
0.926% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
19.1%
0.341% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$70,210
3.77% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$338,300
8.92% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
365,769
0.859% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Bakersfield, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

88% of the residents in Bakersfield, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bakersfield, CA are Bakersfield College (6,671 degrees awarded in 2023), California State University-Bakersfield (2,617 degrees), and Cerro Coso Community College (1,038 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Bakersfield, CA was $338,300, and the homeownership rate was 60.1%.

Most people in Bakersfield, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Bakersfield, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Bakersfield Skyline, Bakersfield, CA
Photo by Robert Hale
United StatesCalifornia

Population & Diversity

Bakersfield, CA is home to a population of 915k people, from which 88% are citizens. As of 2024, 20.2% of Bakersfield, CA residents were born outside of the country (185k people).

In 2024, there were 1.45 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (270k people) in Bakersfield, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 187k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 171k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

88%
2024 Citizenship
88.3%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 88% of Bakersfield, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Bakersfield, CA was 88.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bakersfield, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bakersfield, CA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    270k ± 1.67k
  2. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    187k ± 6.31k
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    171k ± 5.77k
56.5%
Hispanic Population
517k people

In 2024, there were 1.45 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (270k people) in Bakersfield, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 187k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 171k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

56.5% of the people in Bakersfield, CA are hispanic (517k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Bakersfield, CA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for California.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    3,862,617 ± 45,816 people
  2. Philippines
    824,246 ± 22,054 people
  3. China
    687,951 ± 20,184 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,862,617 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,246 and China with 687,951.

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Foreign-Born Population

20.2%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
185k people
19.7%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
180k people

As of 2024, 20.2% of Bakersfield, CA residents (185k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bakersfield, CA was 19.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bakersfield, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (2001-)
    10,371 ± 988
  2. Vietnam
    9,252 ± 701
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    4,697 ± 608

Bakersfield, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.12 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Bakersfield, CA.

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Economy

The economy of Bakersfield, CA employs 366k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Bakersfield, CA were Health Care & Social Assistance (45,581 people), Retail Trade (39,956 people), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (37,801 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($95,745), Public Administration ($84,124), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($74,065).

Employment

Occupations

366k
2024 Value
± 5,340
0.859%
1 Year growth
± 2.11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bakersfield, CA grew at a rate of 0.859%, from 363k employees to 366k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bakersfield, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,430 people), Sales & Related Occupations (30,394 people), and Management Occupations (28,539 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bakersfield, CA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

366k
2024 Value
± 5,340
0.859%
1 Year growth
± 2.11%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Bakersfield, CA grew at a rate of 0.859%, from 363k employees to 366k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bakersfield, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (45,581 people), Retail Trade (39,956 people), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (37,801 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bakersfield, CA, though some of these residents may live in Bakersfield, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$47,093
Median earning men ± $944
$33,403
Median earning women ± $822

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($102,459), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,050), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($56,033).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($56,026), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,676), and Wholesale Trade ($42,532).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Y-Axis
2.57%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 856
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. 838
    Transportation and Warehousing
  3. 828
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $2.16M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $1.2M
    Retail Trade
  3. $1.03M
    Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Bakersfield, CA. Showing the available data for California.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (58.5%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.
Adam Schiff
Senator from California1
Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Bakersfield, CA awarded 13,097 degrees. The student population of Bakersfield, CA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 22,731 male students and 30,964 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bakersfield, CA are Hispanic or Latino (8,122 and 62.3%), White (2,402 and 18.4%), Unknown (996 and 7.64%), and Asian (617 and 4.73%).

The largest universities in Bakersfield, CA by number of degrees awarded are Bakersfield College (6,671 and 50.9%), California State University-Bakersfield (2,617 and 20%), and Cerro Coso Community College (1,038 and 7.93%).

The most popular majors in Bakersfield, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (4,494 and 34.3%), General Business Administration & Management (722 and 5.51%), and General Psychology (681 and 5.2%).

The median tuition cost in Bakersfield, CA for a public four year colleges is $3,561 for in-state students and $13,941 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Bakersfield, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 88.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 9.79%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 53,695 (42.3% men and 57.7% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 53,695 students enrolled in Bakersfield, CA, 42.3% men and 57.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 34,886 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    2,426 degrees awarded
  2. General Psychology
    404 degrees awarded
  3. General Biological Sciences
    340 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Bakersfield, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 2,426 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Bakersfield, CA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Bakersfield College
    6,671 degrees awarded
  2. California State University-Bakersfield
    2,617 degrees awarded
  3. Cerro Coso Community College
    1,038 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bakersfield College with 6,671 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 4,818 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bakersfield, CA, which is 0.582 times less than the 8,279 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 8,122 degrees mean that there were 3.38 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 2,402 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($15,030) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($20,435) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,210) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Bakersfield, CA was $338,300 in 2024, which is 1.02 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $310,600 to $338,300, a 8.92% increase. The homeownership rate in Bakersfield, CA is 60.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Bakersfield, CA have an average commute time of 24.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bakersfield, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$338,300
Median Property Value 2024
±$2,944
$171,133
Median Property Taxes
±$3,377

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bakersfield, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bakersfield, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

60.1%
Homeownership
2024
66.6%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 60.1% of the housing units in Bakersfield, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 59.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bakersfield, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$70,210
Median Household Income
± $1,287
285k
Number of Households
± 4,437

In 2024, the median household income of the 285k households in Bakersfield, CA grew to $70,210 from the previous year's value of $67,660.

The following chart displays the households in Bakersfield, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bakersfield, CA is from California.
0.495
2023 Wage GINI in California
0.498
2022 Wage GINI in California

In 2023, the income inequality in California was 0.495 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.573% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (78.4%)
  2. Carpooled (11.4%)
  3. Worked At Home (7.47%)

In 2024, 78.4% of workers in Bakersfield, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.4%) and those who worked at home (7.47%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

24.4 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bakersfield, CA have a shorter commute time (24.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.56% of the workforce in Bakersfield, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bakersfield, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bakersfield, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bakersfield, CA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bakersfield, CA (170k out of 891k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bakersfield, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

92.2% of the population of Bakersfield, CA has health coverage, with 36.8% on employee plans, 36.3% on Medicaid, 8.04% on Medicare, 9.62% on non-group plans, and 1.36% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1,233 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 213 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
1,233 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in California

Primary care physicians in California see an average of 1,233 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in California in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 30.9% under 18 years, 22.9% between 18 and 34 years, 34.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 12% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

7.84%
Uninsured
36.8%
Employer Coverage
36.3%
Medicaid
8.04%
Medicare
9.62%
Non-Group
1.36%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bakersfield, CA declined by 0.086% from 7.85% to 7.84%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bakersfield, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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