Moving to Bakersfield: 12 Things to Know before You Do
Are you considering moving to Bakersfield? This article is intended for those who are–we did some research to save you time.
How big is Bakersfield?
Bakersfield is a large city in southern California with about 365,000 people. Most of the residents are White or Hispanic, with about 8% African-Americans and 6% Asians. Bakersfield is an economic center and a transportation hub. The top industries are oil and agriculture.
How much is housing?
The median price for a home in Bakersfield is $210,000 and average rent is $888. There are also some small houses and condos for less than $180,000. For renters, there are small apartments like studios for $600 or less.
How is the weather?
As one might expect from its location, Bakersfield has hot weather during the summer season, with more than 100 days over 90 degrees. From May through September there is usually no rain, and annual rainfall is 6.5 inches. Winters are somewhat brief and cool, but with only a little precipitation.
How are the schools?
Bakersfield’s public schools are rated about average by Great Schools. For adults, Bakersfield College is a community college with about 17,400 students; Cerro Coso is also in the area but is about 70 miles away. Another community college is Porterville College, though it is also about a one hour drive from Bakersfield. Cal-State Bakersfield offers both bachelors and masters degrees and has about 8,000 students.
Are there jobs?
Some of the top employers:
Kern County
Grimmway Farms
Bolthouse Farms
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield
Kern Medical Center
State Farm Insurance
Sun World
Chevron
Clinica Sierra Vista
AndrewsAg
Paramount Farms
Aera Energy
Kaiser Permanente
How is the food?
Bakersfield has quite a range of cuisine; some of the top-rated restaurants are:
Pita Paradise
Nuestro Mexico Restaurant
New Vintage Grill
Cuban Cafe
Moo Creamery
Firestone Grill
J’s Place
Rubio’s Coastal Grill
Crab In a Bag
Paleteria y Neveria la Nueva Michoacana
Valentien
Temblor Brewing Company
O Ramen
Yamato Sushi & Bar
Asada Grill
Soy & Spice Cafe
Hungry Hunter Steakhouse
Shoyu Sushi
Zatter Zacky
Bakersfield Pizza Co & Bar
Hummus Express
Mama Roomba
Cope’s Knotty Pine Cafe
Woolworth Diner
Cafe Smitten
Claw Daddy’s Cajun Seafood
Vatos Tacos
Ben Paca Mexican Grill
Muertos Kitchen & Lounge
Jin Sushi
Fuzion On
Locale Farm to Table Eatery
Fit Pantry
Fuego’s Taco Shack and Grill
New Taj Palace Indian Restaurant
Oh! Noodles Asian Noodles & Grill
Luigis
Iguana’s Grill and Cantina
Sushi N Grill
Brazilian Acai Bowls
Sushi Ko
Tofu House
Blue Elephant
Zoey Brooke’s Gluten Free Bakery
Grocery stores
Vons
Trader Joe’s
WinCo Foods
Sprouts Farmers Market
ALDI
Smart & Final Extra
Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins
Nature’s Food Market and Juice Bar
All India Sweets and Grocery
Carniceria La Carreta
Albertsons
Save Mart
Foods Co
Day & Night Market
Masagna Oriental Market
Mediterranean Grocery
Royal Mark African Food Store
Rainbow Market
From the standpoint of food, moving to Bakersfield is not likely to disappoint, unless perhaps you are used to living in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Are there centers of worship?
Here are some of the more popular ones:
Renaissance Church
High Definition Church
The Bridge Bible Church
RiverLakes Community Church
Grace Bible Church
New Life Church
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church
Valley Bible Fellowship
Plenty of Christian organizations are active in Bakersfield. There are also three Buddhist temples in the areas, one in each of the following cities or towns: Bakersfield, Maricopa and Tehachapi.
Two synagogues serve the city as well: Temple Beth El and B’nai Jacob.
Hindu Temple Kern County is in the area, and there are some meditation centers.
Are there parks?
Many parks are in this city, some of the top-rated ones are:
The Park at River Walk
Kern River Parkway
Central Park at Mill Creek
Beach Park
Emerald Cover Park
Centennial Park
Hart Memorial Park
Kroll Park
Riverlakes Community Park
Polo Community Park
Silver Creek Park
Jasto Park
Madison Grover Park
Fruitvale Norris Park
Panoroma Park
Yokuts Parks
PinOak Park
Is there access to nature?
One big advantage of living in Bakersfield is its location near Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Los Padres National Park, Angeles National Forest, and Death Valley National Park. You can also drive up I-395 to Lone Pine, Independence, Big Pine, Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. This area of the eastern Sierra has its own beauty, especially in summer and fall. Moving to Bakersfield could be a good idea for someone who enjoys nature and wants to visit some of the places mentioned above.
What can you do there?
Some things to do/places to visit:
Kern County Museum
California Area Living Museum
Crystal Palace and Museum
Kern River Parkway Trail
Peacocks at Hart Park
The Park at River walk
Fox Theater
Buena Vista Museum of Natural History
Kern county Raceway Park
Bakersfield Museum of Art
Kern River Parkway Trail
McMurtry Aquatic Center
Is there storage in Bakersfield?
Yes, we manage a storage property in this area and can answer any questions about your storage needs.
Resources
City government information for businesses and residents.
So, after reading this article, are you still interested in moving to Bakersfield?
What is near Bakersfield?
Mammoth — 268 miles
Santa Barbara — 146 miles
Pismo Beach — 134 miles
Santa Maria — 121 miles
Los Angeles — 113 miles
Image Credit: Bobak Ha’Eri, WikiCommons, CC BY 3.0
