Bakersfield, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·Bakersfield

Kern County · Bakersfield · population 417,468

Big-city amenities
Bakersfield, CA
Image: Wikipedia · Bakersfield, California
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
66
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Bakersfield stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $396,712
1-year -0.3%
5-yr CAGR +5.8%
vs 5-yr peak -0.3%
Population +0.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-02$397k$203k$274k$344k$414k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
38/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,930/mo$1,312$1,679$2,046202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent133138100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.1
Lean buy

At a 17.1 price-to-rent ratio, Bakersfield is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
49 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
88 · w18%
Population growth
62 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
68 · w10%
Long thesis

Bakersfield has held up across the cycle: home values at $396,712 with +5.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Bakersfield's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Bakersfield

Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, with an estimated population of 417,468. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Bakersfield is $396,712 as of 2026-04, down 0.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Bakersfield average $1,930 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.4%). The composite momentum score is 66 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently -0.3% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Bakersfield (Wikipedia)

Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. The city covers about 151 sq mi (390 km2) near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, which is located in the Central Valley region.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorKaren K. Goh
Area151.28 sq mi
Elevation404 ft
Incorporated1873–1876
Densityauto/sq mi
Named forThomas Baker

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Kern County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Kern County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Bakersfield

62 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Masterpiece Estates$709,434+1.8%
2Brimhall Estates$703,824-0.7%
3Olde Stockdale$658,363+2.5%
4Seven Oaks$651,739+0.8%
5Brighton$634,776+1.0%
6Tuscany$592,346+1.0%
7Eagle Ranch$574,384-0.4%
8San Trope$539,982-1.6%
9Haggin Oaks$527,424-0.7%
10Hampton Woods$519,368-1.8%
11River Oaks$506,488-1.8%
12Avalon$500,518-0.8%
13Fox Run$498,280-0.1%
14Artisan$477,034-1.7%
15Terra Vista$476,531-0.9%
16Villages of Brimhall – Brimhall Classics$467,913-0.1%
17Eastridge Estates$467,244-0.2%
18Westlakes$463,178-0.4%
19Stockdale West$460,929+0.0%
20Fairway Oaks$459,522-0.6%
21The Oaks$454,143+0.1%
22Crystal Ranch$452,159-0.4%
23Stonegate$450,278-1.5%
24South San Lauren – Fruitvale$448,633-1.1%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Bakersfield

Santa Ana, CA66 · RisingSan Bernardino, CA67 · RisingVictorville, CA66 · RisingMoreno Valley, CA61 · Stable

Run the numbers for Bakersfield

ToolCan I afford Bakersfield?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Bakersfield rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Bakersfield to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBakersfield cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
60° / 41°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
258
~71% of year
Annual precip
22″ rain
8″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very high
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Bakersfield listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Bakersfield area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$91,500
California state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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