State
County
Land Area
149.8 sq mi
Density
2,597.60/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
0.63%
Growth Since 2010
11.95%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
913,090
Bakersfield is a city located in California. With a 2020 population of 389,007, it is the 9th largest city in California and the 51st largest city in the United States. Bakersfield is currently growing at a rate of 0.63% annually and its population has increased by 11.95% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 347,483 in 2010. Bakersfield reached it's highest population of 389,007 in 2021. Spanning over 151 miles, Bakersfield has a population density of 2,598 people per square mile.
The average household income in Bakersfield is $83,985 with a poverty rate of 17.40%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $1,104 per month, and the median house value is $247,000. The median age in Bakersfield is 30.8 years, 29.9 years for males, and 31.7 years for females. For every 100 females there are 97.7 males.
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 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.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Bakersfield was:
2019 and 2020 population is estimated by projecting the raw 2018 numbers.
Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 913,090 | 6,444 | 0.71% |
2020 | 906,646 | 6,444 | 0.71% |
2019 | 900,202 | 6,444 | 0.72% |
2018 | 893,758 | 6,402 | 0.72% |
2017 | 887,356 | 6,500 | 0.73% |
2016 | 880,856 | 4,825 | 0.55% |
2015 | 876,031 | 6,855 | 0.78% |
2014 | 869,176 | 7,176 | 0.83% |
2013 | 862,000 | 8,394 | 0.97% |
2012 | 853,606 | 5,636 | 0.66% |
2011 | 847,970 | 6,974 | 0.82% |
2010 | 840,996 | 0.00% |
Race | Population | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 255,679 | 67.65% |
Some Other Race | 46,973 | 12.43% |
Black or African American | 28,793 | 7.62% |
Asian | 28,059 | 7.42% |
Two or More Races | 14,273 | 3.78% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 3,329 | 0.88% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 811 | 0.21% |
Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
---|---|---|---|
All | 117,050 | 3.19 | 59 |
Married | 59,667 | 3.81 | 73 |
Non Family | 29,295 | 1.32 | 46.7 |
Female | 19,428 | 3.94 | 37.1 |
Male | 8,660 | 3.58 | 53.8 |
3.68
Average Family Size
3.19
Average Household Size
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 21,901 | 9.68% |
9th to 12th Grade | 23,058 | 10.19% |
High School Graduate | 58,709 | 25.95% |
Some College | 53,425 | 23.61% |
Associates Degree | 19,644 | 8.68% |
Bachelors Degree | 32,418 | 14.33% |
Graduate Degree | 17,088 | 7.55% |
Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 98,120 | 66,042 | 10,858 |
White | 88,315 | 81,791 | 25,799 |
Other Race | 25,728 | 17,128 | 2,732 |
Asian | 18,768 | 15,174 | 8,163 |
Black | 16,170 | 13,745 | 3,243 |
Multiple Races | 5,986 | 5,267 | 1,572 |
Native American | 1,806 | 1,367 | 101 |
Islander | 540 | 506 | 126 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 93.70%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 43.49%.
$39,004
Average Earnings
$46,425
Average Male
$31,020
Average Female
58.44% of Bakersfield residents speak only English, while 41.56% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 33.90% of the population.
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 188,582 | 38,611 | 20.47% |
White | 121,133 | 12,797 | 10.56% |
Other | 46,605 | 9,880 | 21.20% |
Black | 28,280 | 8,807 | 31.14% |
Asian | 27,878 | 3,682 | 13.21% |
Multiple | 14,043 | 2,812 | 20.02% |
Native | 3,325 | 849 | 25.53% |
Islander | 811 | 167 | 20.59% |
17.40%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.57%
Male Poverty Rate
19.18%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Bakersfield is Black, with 31.14% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Bakersfield is White, with 10.56% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.23%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.64%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.21%.
47.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.0%
Male Marriage Rate
45.5%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 10,098 | 5.56% |
Hispanic | 3,149 | 2.61% |
Black | 1,220 | 6.10% |
Other | 806 | 2.54% |
2 or More | 490 | 6.41% |
Asian | 220 | 1.04% |
Indian | 184 | 8.64% |
Hawaiian | 63 | 11.05% |
11.25%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.87%
Veteran Disability Rate
63.7%
Labor Force Participation
58.3%
Employment Rate
8.4%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
81.09%
Native Born
18.91%
Foreign Born
10.36%
Non Citizen
8.56%
Naturalized
81.09% of Bakersfield residents were born in the United States, with 68.09% having been born in California. 10.36% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 389,007 | 2,431 | 0.63% |
2020 | 386,576 | 2,431 | 0.63% |
2019 | 384,145 | 2,431 | 0.64% |
2018 | 381,714 | 3,774 | 1.00% |
2017 | 377,940 | 3,241 | 0.86% |
2016 | 374,699 | 3,351 | 0.90% |
2015 | 371,348 | 4,394 | 1.20% |
2014 | 366,954 | 4,120 | 1.14% |
2013 | 362,834 | 5,522 | 1.55% |
2012 | 357,312 | 4,091 | 1.16% |
2011 | 353,221 | 4,234 | 1.21% |
2010 | 348,987 | 101,930 | 3.51% |
2000 | 247,057 | 72,237 | 3.52% |
1990 | 174,820 | 69,209 | 5.17% |
1980 | 105,611 | 36,096 | 4.27% |
1970 | 69,515 | 12,667 | 2.03% |
1960 | 56,848 | 22,064 | 5.03% |
1950 | 34,784 | 5,532 | 1.75% |
1940 | 29,252 | 3,237 | 1.18% |
1930 | 26,015 | 7,377 | 3.39% |
1920 | 18,638 | 5,911 | 3.89% |
1910 | 12,727 | 7,891 | 10.16% |
1900 | 4,836 | 2,210 | 6.30% |
1890 | 2,626 | 1,825 | 12.61% |
1880 | 801 | 0.00% |