Bakersfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sanger
Bakersfield
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
70 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 9%
vs15 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs51 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Sanger | Bakersfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,699 | 411,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,500 | $80,540 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,072 | $33,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,292/sq mi | 2,742/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,800 | $371,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,209 | $1,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.6% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.5% | 23.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 1,750 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 39.7% | 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 | 10 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.9 | 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
Sanger
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.
Sanger
57
Your Score
51
Area Score
Bakersfield
59
Your Score
53
Area Score
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Full profiles: Sanger, CA · Bakersfield, CA · How this is calculated: methodology