Bakersfield, California Population 2023

420,246

Bakersfield is a city located in Kern County California. It is also the county seat of Kern County. With a 2023 population of 420,246, it is the 9th largest city in California and the 46th largest city in the United States.Bakersfield is currently growing at a rate of 1.35% annually and its population has increased by 4.16% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 403,455 in 2020. Spanning over 151 miles, Bakersfield has a population density of 2,806 people per square mile.

The average household income in Bakersfield is $83,985 with a poverty rate of 22.67%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Bakersfield is 31 years, 30 years for males, and 31.9 years for females.

There are two interesting statistics about the population of Bakersfield. Multiple studies have found that it is one of the least educated metro areas in the country, having one of the lowest populations of adults with bachelor’s degrees when compared to other metropolitan areas. The city was ranked as one of the most obese metro areas in the US, with over 33% of inhabitants classified as obese, exceeding the national average of 26.5%.

Bakersfield Population Growth

Bakersfield has seen steady growth throughout its history, with each 10-year census reflecting increase since 1990. The highest rate of growth was recorded between the 1880 and 1890 censuses – over 227% growth recorded during this time. While the population has not grown at such a rapid rate, double-digit percentage growths have been observed every ten years. The population in 2016 was already up over 8% from the census data taken in 2010. Based on the past growth of this city, the population is only expected to continue to grow and will soon hit the next milestone of 400,000 residents.

Bakersfield history dates back thousands of years. However, it was first explored by the Europeans in 1776. It wasn’t until the discovery of oil and gold that the city became settled. The original settlement was washed away in floods in the 1860s and was moved in 1863. By the 1870s, the settlement had a population of several hundred people. It was incorporated as a city in 1873 and the following year was designated as the county seat.

Throughout the 1800s, the city’s population continued to grow. Many people moved to Bakersfield from states including Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, as well as other cities in California, due to the employment opportunities offered within the oil industry. The city’s population has continued to grow, and it has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Not only does it still have a thriving oil industry, but it is also a regional transportation hub. The city has lots to do for both tourists and residents, including annual events, historic restaurants and landmarks, and multiple theaters.

Bakersfield Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Bakersfield was:

  • White: 61.08%
  • Other race: 14.41%
  • Two or more races: 8.85%
  • Black or African American: 7.41%
  • Asian: 7.3%
  • Native American: 0.78%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.17%
The current population of Bakersfield, California is 420,246 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 403,455.

Bakersfield, California Population 2023

Population by Race

White

Other race

Two or more races

Black or African American

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Bakersfield Population by Race

Bakersfield Population Pyramid 2023

Bakersfield Median Age

31

Total

30

Male

31.9

Female

Bakersfield Adults

There are 266,249 adults, (37,996 of whom are seniors) in Bakersfield.

Bakersfield Age Dependency

66.4

Age Dependency Ratio

16.6

Old Age Dependency Ratio

49.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Bakersfield Sex Ratio

Female192,10750.57%
Male187,77249.43%

Bakersfield Population by Age

Bakersfield Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.65

Average Family Size

3.17

Average Household Size

59.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Bakersfield Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Bakersfield Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Bakersfield Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 86.96%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 37.34%.

Bakersfield Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$40,066

Average Earnings

$48,058

Average Male

$31,653

Average Female

Bakersfield Earnings by Educational Attainment

Bakersfield Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Bakersfield Language

58.59% of Bakersfield residents speak only English, while 41.41% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 33.62% of the population.

Bakersfield Language

Bakersfield Poverty by Race

rate

22.67%

Overall Poverty Rate

15.15%

Male Poverty Rate

19.23%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Bakersfield

The race most likely to be in poverty in Bakersfield is Black, with 37.4% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Bakersfield is White, with 13.53% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.89%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.63%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.37%.

Bakersfield Poverty

Bakersfield Poverty Rate by Education

Bakersfield Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Bakersfield Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Bakersfield Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

46.6%

Overall Marriage Rate

48.6%

Male Marriage Rate

44.6%

Female Marriage Rate

Bakersfield Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Bakersfield Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Bakersfield Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Bakersfield Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

12,956

Number of Veterans

12,153

Male Veterans

803

Female Veterans

Bakersfield Veterans by War

Bakersfield Veterans by Age

count

Bakersfield Veterans by Race

Bakersfield Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

10.95%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.97%

Veteran Disability Rate

Bakersfield Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

63.2%

Labor Force Participation

58.4%

Employment Rate

7.6%

Unemployment Rate

Bakersfield Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Bakersfield Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Bakersfield Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

64.02%

Born in Bakersfield

76.12%

Native Born

18.03%

Foreign Born

9.62%

Non Citizen

8.41%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

76.12% of Bakersfield residents were born in the United States, with 64.02% having been born in California. 9.62% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Bakersfield Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Bakersfield Population by Year