Bakersfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bakersfield
Fresno
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 28%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
60 · Top 35%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs70 · Bottom 48%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 13%
vs12 · Bottom 11%
Housing affordability
73 · Top 41%
vs62 · Bottom 41%
Access
98 · Top 31%
vs90 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 36%
vs48 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Bakersfield | Fresno | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 411,986 | 545,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,540 | $70,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,405 | $32,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,742/sq mi | 4,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $371,700 | $374,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,472 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,750 | 1,573 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.9% | 69.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 6.4" | 11.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bakersfield
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Fresno
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Your best match
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Bakersfield
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
Fresno
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
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Full profiles: Bakersfield, CA · Fresno, CA · How this is calculated: methodology