Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Bakersfield

You consider moving to Bakersfield but want to get additional information about the city before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Bakersfield in the following article so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to Bakersfield or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Living in Bakersfield – Overview

Advantages of Living in Bakersfield

1. Bakersfield has pretty affordable property prices
2. Rents are still low in Bakersfield
3. Average person can make a decent living from working a full-time job
4. Traffic in Bakersfield is rather relaxed
5. Easy to find a parking lot in Bakersfield
6. Bakersfield has many recreational spaces
7. Bakersfield is surrounded by national parks
8. It is not far from the mountains
9. You can go fishing and hiking
10. Bakersfield is not too far from the beach
11. You can make day trips to L.A.
12. Bakersfield is a culturally diverse city
13. People in Bakersfield are pretty tolerant
14. Easy to socialize in Bakersfield
15. Decent public infrastructure in Bakersfield
16. Bakersfield is still not as crowded as other major cities
17. Many things for daily life are within walking distance
18. Bakersfield is a bike-friendly city
19. Easy to get from one end of Bakersfield to the other
20. You don’t necessarily need a car
21. Bakersfield has an international airport
22. Decent medical infrastructure in Bakersfield
23. Some people commute from Bakersfield to Los Angeles
24. You can enjoy nice summers and many hours of sun
25. Cozy winters make living in Bakersfield attractive

Bakersfield has pretty affordable property prices

One advantage of living in Bakersfield is that property prices are pretty affordable compared to other major cities in California.

In fact, compared to living in San José or in other places in the Bay Area, property prices are much lower in Bakersfield and it will be much easier for you to live the American dream and to have your own home sooner or later.

Rents are still low in Bakersfield

Not only property prices are pretty low, but also rents are still affordable and also the poorer part of the local population can still afford paying for rent and other expenses related to housing most of the time.

Consequently, people don’t have to spend a high fraction of their income on rent but can rather use it for other nice things.

Average person can make a decent living from working a full-time job

Bakersfield is also a great place to live since the average person can still make a decent living from his or her job and is not under great financial pressure as in other major cities like Los Angeles where housing and living costs are pretty high and the average person is often no longer able to pay his or her bills.

Traffic in Bakersfield is rather relaxed

Another upside to living in Bakersfield is that traffic is pretty relaxed and traffic jams are rather rare.

Consequently, you will have an easy time getting around while many other people living in San Diego or other major cities often get stuck in traffic jams and lose lots of time in this regard in the long run.

Easy to find a parking lot in Bakersfield

Since traffic is not a big problem in Bakersfield yet, it is also pretty easy to find a parking lot and this can also save you lots of time and nerves in the long run.

Bakersfield has many recreational spaces

Bakersfield is also a nice place to live since there are many parks and other recreational spaces where you can hang out and enjoy your leisure or also relax during lunch break to reload your batteries for the stressful things yet to come.

Bakersfield is surrounded by national parks

Another reason to move to Bakersfield is that the city is surrounded by nice national parks.

Thus, you can make nice day trips with your family and relax from your stressful life and can also experience beautiful nature just a few miles away.

It is not far from the mountains

Bakersfield is relatively close to the mountains.

Consequently, you can go skiing or do many other winter sports and if you love those kinds of activities, Bakersfield can be a great place to move to.

You can go fishing and hiking

Bakersfield also offers many leisure activities in nature in general.

Due to its proximity to the mountains and lakes, you can go fishing and hiking on a regular basis and those things can really make your life better and can also help you relax and reload your batteries.

Bakersfield is not too far from the beach

Another benefit of living in Bakersfield is that you can get to the beach by car within two hours.

While Bakersfield is not directly located at the beach, it is still closer to the coast than most other cities in the US and this gives you the opportunity to make nice weekend trips to the beach with your loved ones.

You can make day trips to L.A.

Also L.A. is not that far away and you can therefore make nice day trips to the biggest city in California if you get bored with your life in Bakersfield and want to experience something new and more exciting from time to time.

Bakersfield is a culturally diverse city

People from all over the world live in Bakersfield.

Consequently, Bakersfield is a pretty diverse city and you can experience many different cultures.

Moreover, you will also be able to try foods from all over the world and will also become a more tolerant person in general.

People in Bakersfield are pretty tolerant

Another advantage to moving to Bakersfield is that people in this city are pretty friendly, outgoing and tolerant and always have an open ear for your problem.

Sure, this is not true for everyone. However, the majority of people really like to help you out and you can therefore really enjoy your time in Bakersfield with many great guys and gals.

Easy to socialize in Bakersfield

Since people in Bakersfield are pretty open and outgoing, it is also easy to socialize and to make many new friends within a rather short period of time.

Decent public infrastructure in Bakersfield

Bakersfield also has decent public infrastructure and you will just find most things you need in this city and don’t have to drive to other cities as would be the case if you lived in a smaller town or village.

Bakersfield is still not as crowded as other major cities

While Bakersfield is among the 10 biggest cities in California, it is still not as crowded and busy as many other major cities like San Francisco.

Consequently, life may be more relaxed and if you don’t like big city life, you may be better off moving to Bakersfield compared to other bigger cities.

Many things for daily life are within walking distance

Due to its decent infrastructure, you will also find most things for daily life within walking distance and can get everything you need pretty quickly.

Bakersfield is a bike-friendly city

Bakersfield also considers itself as bike-friendly city and you can therefore get around with your bike using bike lanes instead of having to rely on your car which is not only great for your fitness level but also for our environment in the long run.

Easy to get from one end of Bakersfield to the other

Since Bakersfield is smaller compared to other major cities in California, it is also pretty easy to get from one end to the other within a reasonable amount of time and you therefore don’t have to spend lots of time in traffic visiting your friends living in other parts of the city.

You don’t necessarily need a car

Since you can get around by bike or other means of transport, you also don’t necessarily need a car in Bakersfield and can save lots of money in this regard in the long run.

Bakersfield has an international airport

Bakersfield also has an international airport and it is therefore pretty easy to travel to many remote parts of our planet from your home town without having to drive to other bigger cities.

Decent medical infrastructure in Bakersfield

Another upside to moving to Bakersfield is that you will also have decent medical infrastructure and will get good medical treatment in case of emergency.

Some people commute from Bakersfield to Los Angeles

It can also make sense to commute from Bakersfield to Los Angeles to work in L.A. and make really good money while you can still live in Bakersfield and benefit from the low housing prices.

You can enjoy nice summers and many hours of sun

Another benefit of moving to Bakersfield is that you can enjoy really nice summers with lots of sun and don’t have to deal with rain that much.

Cozy winters make living in Bakersfield attractive

Not only can you enjoy great summers, but you will also have pretty cozy winters in Bakersfield and temperatures will not fall below the freezing mark that often.

Thus, if you don’t like the cold, Bakersfield can be a great place to stay for you.

As you can see, there are many reasons to move to Bakersfield.

However, it is still not all upside and we also have to talk about all the issues that come along with it so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to Bakersfield or rather want to go for a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Bakersfield

1. Bakersfield has relatively poor public transport
2. Crime rates are pretty high
3. Not that many exciting events happening in Bakersfield
4. Not many fancy shopping opportunities in Bakersfield
5. Hard to meet celebrities in Bakersfield
6. Bakersfield is not a great place to live if you are a person who loves glamor
7. Bakersfield is not located at the beach
8. Bakersfield is not popular among tourists
9. Questionable long-term prospects of Bakersfield
10. Bakersfield is not a great city for families
11. High unemployment rate in Bakersfield
12. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Bakersfield
13. Wildfires may burn down your home

Bakersfield has relatively poor public transport

One problem with moving to Bakersfield is that public transport is rather poor.

Even though you can use buses to get around, those buses are often pretty unreliable and you be late to meetings or other important appointments on a regular basis and relying on public transport may therefore not be practicable in Bakersfield.

Crime rates are pretty high

Another reason not to move to Bakersfield is that crime rates are pretty high.

In fact, Bakersfield has one of the highest crime rates in the US and it is therefore a pretty unsafe place to live.

Not that many exciting events happening in Bakersfield

Bakersfield is also not the most exciting city and if you want to have world-class entertainment and watch sports events on a regular basis, chances are that you would be better off living in L.A. instead of Bakersfield.

Not many fancy shopping opportunities in Bakersfield

Another downside to living in Bakersfield is that there are also not many fancy shopping opportunities and boutiques.

Instead, you will often just find basic brands and if you are a real fashion victim, you may be better off moving to bigger and fancier cities.

Hard to meet celebrities in Bakersfield

Bakersfield is also not popular among celebrities and if you want to see many famous people in real life, you might be far better off living in Hollywood or other places that are known for attracting celebrities from all over the world.

Bakersfield is not a great place to live if you are a person who loves glamor

Another disadvantage to living in Bakersfield is that the city is just not glamorous at all.

Instead, it is pretty basic and solid but doesn’t have any of the glamor of L.A. or New York.

Bakersfield is not located at the beach

By moving to Bakersfield, you will also not be able to enjoy your lunch break at the beach while many other people who live in cities directly at the coast will be able to enjoy this luxury.

Bakersfield is not popular among tourists

Bakersfield is also not a great place to live if you want to visit and talk to many tourists since the city is just not on the bucket list of most tourists and you will therefore not be able to have many interesting conversations with them.

Questionable long-term prospects of Bakersfield

Since Bakersfield is not directly located at the coast, it may also not have a bright future and people from Bakersfield may leave the city sooner or later and may rather relocate to other major cities. In turn, Bakersfield may become increasingly unattractive in the long run.

Bakersfield is not a great city for families

Since Bakersfield is a pretty unsafe city with high crime rates, it is also not a great city for families since you always have to fear your kids getting in trouble.

High unemployment rate in Bakersfield

Another downside to moving to Bakersfield is that the city has a pretty high unemployment rate and many people really struggle to find a job in this region.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Bakersfield

Due to global warming, water scarcity may become a serious problem in Bakersfield in the long run and quality of life may drop significantly.

Wildfires may burn down your home

Bakersfield may also get hit by wildfires sooner or later and you may not only lose your home but also your life if you are unlucky and don’t live close to the city center but rather in rural areas where wildfires often destroy vast areas of land.

Top 10 Moving To Bakersfield Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To Bakersfield?

As you can see, there are many advantages and disadvantages of moving to Bakersfield.

In the end, you have to decide for yourself whether you still want to move to Bakersfield or rather want to live in a different city instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Bakersfield anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to Los Angeles

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to San Diego

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to San José

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to San Francisco

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to Fresno

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to Sacramento

Advantages and disadvantages of moving to Long Beach

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bakersfieldcitycalifornia/AGE295219

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.