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Updated

Average Rent in Bakersfield, CA

12 apartment buildings, 81 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.

Avg Rent

$1,778/mo

market average

Cheapest

$890/mo

King's Arms

Properties

12

tracked daily

Units

81

available now

Bakersfield, CA Resident Access

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Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 12 properties in Bakersfield, CA.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Bakersfield, CA Rent Prices

All 12 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Bakersfield, CA Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Bakersfield, CA is $1,778 per month, based on 81 units across 12 apartment communities. Prices range from $1,075 at King's Arms to $2,280 at 17th Place Townhomes.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $1,223/mo $890/mo 4
1 Bed $1,557/mo $990/mo 17
2 Bed $1,767/mo $1,125/mo 44
3 Bed $2,182/mo $1,850/mo 16

Every price is a real asking rent, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Bakersfield, CA, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Bakersfield, CA averages $1,557/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,767/mo. At the local median household income of $77,397, that works out to 28% of gross income, near the 30 percent affordability ceiling.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Bakersfield, CA at $1,371/mo. The current tracked market average runs 30% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Bakersfield, CA while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

Who employs renters in Bakersfield

Demand in the Bakersfield rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:

  • Chevron
  • Kern County
  • Dignity Health
  • Grimmway Farms

Mean one-way commute in Bakersfield, CA is 24 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Bakersfield, CA?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$71,000/year

Based on the 30 percent rule, using our tracked average rent of $1,778/mo.

Comfortable income

$85,000/year

Based on the 25 percent rule, leaving more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($890/mo), you need to earn at least $36,000/year.

Median household income in Bakersfield, CA is $77,397 , about 9% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Bakersfield, CA

Overall prices in Bakersfield, CA runs above the national average by about 2% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 102.4, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Bakersfield, CA's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,778
Utilities $378
Groceries $567
Transportation $902
Healthcare $440
Other goods and services $704
Estimated total $4,770/mo

Population

408,366

Median household income

$77,397

Census median rent

$1,371/mo

Rent as % of income

32.3%

Median age

31.9

Mean commute

24 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

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Nearby cities in California

How Bakersfield, CA rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Bakersfield, CA Properties
Los Angeles, CA $2,909 +64% 36
Anaheim, CA $2,783 +57% 29
Riverside, CA $2,499 +41% 24
San Diego, CA $3,179 +79% 23
Sacramento, CA $2,396 +35% 22
Antioch, CA $2,328 +31% 21

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Bakersfield, CA?

The average rent in Bakersfield, CA is $1,778 per month, based on 81 units across 12 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are refreshed daily.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Bakersfield, CA?

The lowest available rent in Bakersfield, CA starts at $890 per month. Availability changes daily and prices are refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Bakersfield, CA?

1-bedroom apartments in Bakersfield, CA average $1,557/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $990/mo across 17 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Bakersfield, CA?

2-bedroom apartments in Bakersfield, CA average $1,767/mo. Units start from $1,125/mo across 44 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Bakersfield, CA

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

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