Bakersfield, CA

Census Place

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2020 Population

379,879

0.519% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

0.649% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

17.2%

1.04% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$65,687

4.04% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$258,700

4.74% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

162,696

0.779% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Bakersfield, CA had a population of 380k people with a median age of 31 and a median household income of $65,687. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Bakersfield, CA grew from 377,917 to 379,879, a 0.519% increase and its median household income grew from $63,139 to $65,687, a 4.04% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Bakersfield, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (31.4%), White (Hispanic) (29.7%), Other (Hispanic) (14%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.15%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.98%).

None of the households in Bakersfield, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

89.8% of the residents in Bakersfield, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Bakersfield, CA are Bakersfield College (6,445 degrees awarded in 2020), California State University-Bakersfield (2,653 degrees), and UEI College-Bakersfield (701 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Bakersfield, CA was $258,700, and the homeownership rate was 59.4%.

Most people in Bakersfield, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Bakersfield, CA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Bakersfield Skyline, Bakersfield, CA

Photo by Robert Hale

Population & Diversity

Bakersfield, CA is home to a population of 380k people, from which 89.8% are citizens. As of 2020, 19.2% of Bakersfield, CA residents were born outside of the country (72.8k people).

In 2020, there were 1.05 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (119k people) in Bakersfield, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 113k White (Hispanic) and 53.4k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

89.8%

2020 Citizenship

89.6%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 89.8% of Bakersfield, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Bakersfield, CA was 89.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Bakersfield, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Bakersfield, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
119k ± 3.34k
White (Hispanic)
113k ± 3.88k
Other (Hispanic)
53.4k ± 4.15k

51.1%

Hispanic Population

194k people

51.1% of the people in Bakersfield, CA are hispanic (194k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Bakersfield, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
4,008,868 ± 46,586 people
Philippines
829,356 ± 22,122 people
China
683,718 ± 20,124 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,008,868 California residents, followed by Philippines with 829,356 and China with 683,718.

Foreign-Born Population

19.2%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

72.8k people

18.9%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

71.5k people

As of 2020, 19.2% of Bakersfield, CA residents (72.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Bakersfield, CA was 18.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Bakersfield, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,234 ± 444
Gulf War (2001-)
2,697 ± 558
Gulf War (1990s)
2,142 ± 414

Bakersfield, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.57 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Bakersfield, CA employs 163k people. The largest industries in Bakersfield, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (23,637 people), Retail Trade (18,897 people), and Educational Services (16,798 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($87,928), Public Administration ($66,884), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($66,760).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $64,427. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

163k

2020 Value

± 3,721

0.779%

1 Year growth

± 3.08%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Bakersfield, CA grew at a rate of 0.779%, from 161k employees to 163k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Bakersfield, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,608 people), Sales & Related Occupations (16,131 people), and Management Occupations (13,834 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Bakersfield, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

163k

2020 Value

± 3,721

0.779%

1 Year growth

± 3.08%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Bakersfield, CA grew at a rate of 0.779%, from 161k employees to 163k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Bakersfield, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (23,637 people), Retail Trade (18,897 people), and Educational Services (16,798 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Bakersfield, CA, though some of these residents may live in Bakersfield, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,445

Median earning men ± $1,745

$29,432

Median earning women ± $2,084

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($81,225), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,779), and Wholesale Trade ($55,752).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($50,689), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($42,269), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($39,375).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in California. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $407B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($158B) and Mixed freight ($149B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.26T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

104% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.26T. This is expected to increase 104% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$83.5B
Arizona
$44.4B
Ohio
$43.3B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $83.5B, followed by Arizona with $44.4B and Ohio and $43.3B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 53 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Senators Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 53 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Bakersfield, CA awarded 10,640 degrees. The student population of Bakersfield, CA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 14,781 male students and 24,313 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Bakersfield, CA are Hispanic or Latino (6,458 and 61.6%), followed by White (1,919 and 18.3%), Unknown (780 and 7.44%), and Asian (472 and 4.5%).

The largest universities in Bakersfield, CA by number of degrees awarded are Bakersfield College (6,445 and 60.6%), California State University-Bakersfield (2,653 and 24.9%), and UEI College-Bakersfield (701 and 6.59%).

The most popular majors in Bakersfield, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (3,608 and 33.9%), General Business Administration & Management (581 and 5.46%), and General Psychology (525 and 4.93%).

The median tuition cost in Bakersfield, CA for a public four year colleges is $3,561 for in-state students and $13,746 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Bakersfield, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 78.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 39,094 (37.8% men and 62.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 39,094 students enrolled in Bakersfield, CA, 37.8% men and 62.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 25,270 records, of which 64.3% were women and 35.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
1,823 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
291 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
263 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Bakersfield, CA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 1,823 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Bakersfield, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Bakersfield College
6,445 degrees awarded
California State University-Bakersfield
2,653 degrees awarded
UEI College-Bakersfield
701 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Bakersfield College with 6,445 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 3,850 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Bakersfield, CA, which is 0.567 times less than the 6,790 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 6,458 degrees mean that there were 3.37 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 1,919 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($11,558) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($898) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,015) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2020, 1.74% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.99% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were Some college (7.14M), High School or Equivalent (6.69M), and Bachelors Degree (6.15M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Bakersfield, CA was $258,700 in 2020, which is 1.13 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $247,000 to $258,700, a 4.74% increase. The homeownership rate in Bakersfield, CA is 59.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Bakersfield, CA have an average commute time of 23.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Bakersfield, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Bakersfield, CA is $65,687. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Bakersfield, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $126,652, followed by Census Tract 38.06 and Census Tract 28.07, with respective values of $120,879 and $110,489.

Housing

Property

$258,700

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,073

$70,470

Median Property Taxes

±$2,177

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Bakersfield, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Bakersfield, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

59.4%

Homeownership

2020

69.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 59.4% of the housing units in Bakersfield, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 59%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Bakersfield, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 28.11
Census Tract 38.06
Census Tract 28.07

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Bakersfield, CA was Census Tract 28.11 with a value of $126,652, followed by Census Tract 38.06 and Census Tract 28.07, with respective values of $120,879 and $110,489.

The following map shows all of the places in Bakersfield, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$65,687

Median Household Income

± $1,880

119k

Number of Households

± 3,056

In 2020, the median household income of the 119k households in Bakersfield, CA grew to $65,687 from the previous year's value of $63,139.

The following chart displays the households in Bakersfield, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Bakersfield, CA is from California.

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

0.499

2019 Wage GINI in California

In 2020, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.321% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (82%)
Carpooled (10.7%)
Worked At Home (4.48%)

In 2020, 82% of workers in Bakersfield, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.7%) and those who worked at home (4.48%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Bakersfield, CA have a shorter commute time (23.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2.81% of the workforce in Bakersfield, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Bakersfield, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Bakersfield, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Bakersfield, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Bakersfield, CA (64.7k out of 376k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Bakersfield, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92% of the population of Bakersfield, CA has health coverage, with 44.4% on employee plans, 30.7% on Medicaid, 6.75% on Medicare, 9.31% on non-group plans, and 0.772% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in California was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see 2043 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.09% increase from the previous year (2021 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1948 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 494 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in California, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Kern County, CA.

2,043 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kern County, CA

Primary care physicians in Kern County, CA see an average of 2,043 patients per year. This represents a 1.09% increase from the previous year (2,021 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kern County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.4% under 18 years, 25.1% between 18 and 34 years, 33.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 9.76% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

Uninsured

44.4%

Employer Coverage

30.7%

Medicaid

6.75%

Medicare

9.31%

Non-Group

0.772%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Bakersfield, CA declined by 22.3% from 10.3% to 8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Bakersfield, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.