Bakersfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fresno
Bakersfield
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs47 · Bottom 28%
Growth
52 · Bottom 45%
vs60 · Top 35%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 11%
vs15 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 41%
vs73 · Top 41%
Access
90 · Bottom 16%
vs98 · Top 31%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 30%
vs51 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Fresno | Bakersfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 545,970 | 411,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,991 | $80,540 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,519 | $33,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,710/sq mi | 2,742/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,800 | $371,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,421 | $1,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 23.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,573 | 1,750 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 69.7% | 9.9% | 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 | 11.0" | 6.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 32.1 | 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
Fresno
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Bakersfield
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fresno
54
Your Score
50
Area Score
Bakersfield
59
Your Score
55
Area Score
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Full profiles: Fresno, CA · Bakersfield, CA · How this is calculated: methodology