CensusEasy
METRO AREA

Bakersfield Metro

Bakersfield-Delano, CA · 1 counties · 927,068 residents (2025 est.) · 8,134.673 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
Notable rankings
#45Most foreign-born residentsof 92520.2%
The short version

Bakersfield has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $70,210. Population has grown 38% since 2000. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $338,300. At a median age of 32.7, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. It sits in the top 10% of US metro areas for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 108%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
915,075
+38%since 2000
from 661,645 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
112 / sq mi
+38%since 2000
from 81 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
32.7
+7%since 2000
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:927,068 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
506K618K729K841K952K1990201020202024Bakersfield
2024915K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$70,210
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,446 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,699
+88%since 2000
from $15,760 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.0%
+18.1 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2000
from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.458
+1%since 2010
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing12.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Information10.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Construction10.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance7.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade5.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services3.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Manufacturing2.1%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$338,300
+108%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,300
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $518 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
60.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 62.1% in 2000
39.9% rent
Vacancy rate
7.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
29.6%
−7.0 ptssince 2009
from 36.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.8
+91%since 2000
from 2.5 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Gentrification Score
29
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bakersfield on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.5%(327,190)
Black5.7%(37,845)
Hispanic / Latino38.4%(254,036)
Asian3.2%(21,177)
Other0%
Diversity Score72.1%(477,064)
Segregation Score0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic29.6%(270,456)
Black4.8%(43,987)
Hispanic / Latino56.5%(516,662)
Asian5.1%(46,223)
Other4.1%(37,747)
Diversity Score73.4%(671,775)
Segregation Score47%(430,481)
Diversity Score
73
+2%since 2000
from 72 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
47
−4%since 2020
from 49 in 2020
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.8%
+5.3 ptssince 2000
from 13.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
77.0%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 68.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+55%since 2000
from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.4%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.4%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.5%
+4.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.6%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 12.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 59.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
29.9%
−25.8 ptssince 2009
from 55.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.9%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Female
49.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Foreign born
20.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.9%
−46.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2012
from 12.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.8%
−72.0 ptssince 2013
from 79.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.6%
+17.7 ptssince 2017
from 73.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
54.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 56.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
40.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 39.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
In this metro

Principal cities

BakersfieldCENTRAL422,165DelanoCENTRAL52,334
What's inside

1 component county

Kern CountyCENTRAL927,068
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Bakersfield

Albuquerque
Pop 925,279
Baton Rouge
Pop 888,699
Columbia
Pop 879,918
Knoxville
Pop 968,137
Places similar to Bakersfield
Head to head

Compare Bakersfield side by side

BAKERSFIELD VS
Albuquerque
Income$71,241+1%
Home value$288,193−15%
Population925,279same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAKERSFIELD VS
Baton Rouge
Income$70,666+1%
Home value$240,565−29%
Population888,699−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAKERSFIELD VS
Columbia
Income$68,275−3%
Home value$232,186−31%
Population879,918−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAKERSFIELD VS
Knoxville
Income$72,472+3%
Home value$295,147−13%
Population968,137+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

Bakersfield-Delano, CA has about 915,075 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

The typical household in Bakersfield-Delano, CA earns about $70,210 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bakersfield-Delano, CA expensive?

In Bakersfield-Delano, CA, the median home is worth about $338,300, and the typical rent is about $1,300 a month.

How educated are people in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

About 18.8% of adults age 25 and over in Bakersfield-Delano, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?

About 19.1% of people in Bakersfield-Delano, CA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bakersfield-Delano, CA grown since 1990?

Yes, Bakersfield-Delano, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 371,598 residents, a change of about 68 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Metro rankings
Largest US metrosHighest income metrosFastest growing metros
Compare
Compare Bakersfield with another metro

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →