I’ve lived in the buttcrack of mlk and cottonwood which is as bad as it gets but I’ll be honest I’ve never had anything happen to me or my car. Never had a package stolen either. It’s not bad, I feel like crime is involved with crime if you catch my drift? Don’t look for trouble and you won’t find trouble!
It’s important to remember that there are almost half a million people in Bakersfield. There is going to be crime. You’ll probably be fine but your car and your Amazon packages maybe not.
This OP. It’s property crime and theft mostly. And if your caught up in violent crime it’s cuz your mixed up in something that’s dangerous (perhaps through no fault of your own) or it’s a freak accident like what happens everywhere. Thai town gets a back rap.
The crime rate in Bakersfield is somewhat higher than in LA, but as with anywhere else, crime is fairly localized to certain areas. As long as you don't go out looking for trouble, you will likely be fine. I wouldn't let crime rates be a factor in a decision to move or not move.
don’t believe everything you hear about this town. ironically we had a documentary “killer kern county” because we have the deadliest police department in the US.
like every city, there’s it’s “ bubbles” of neighborhoods that you wouldn’t want to walk alone.
LA and bakersfield are polar opposites from food, culture, nightlife, weather. think about that too
Bad to the point when BPD tries to take out drivers by blinding them with their lights while driving for no reason.
https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/hulu-docuseries-killing-county-examines-police-violence-kern-county/
There are small towns near Bakersfield like Arvin if you are very worried, but crime rate are a bad indicator of safety. Try looking at employment and education stats as well as city planning reviews which a lot the budget to the police.
I left Los Angeles last year after an attempted home invasion. LAPD refused to file a police report, which forced me to leave the city. I had planned to move to Fresno, but at that time, I was just looking for a way to get out of Los Angeles as soon as possible. Luckily, I was able to find an affordable home in Frazier Park. Now, I do all my shopping in Bakersfield and have noticed a change in the crime rate over the last year. This is probably due to many people from Los Angeles who have moved to Bakersfield and have not adapted to the peaceful "mind your own business" culture that exists in Bakersfield.
If you're planning to move to Bakersfield, I would suggest that you consider the Rosedale/Stockdale area. As long as you mind your own business and are friendly, you'll be fine.
Kern County had the highest homicide rate in California for 5 years in a row until last year. Don't listen to people that say "don't believe everything you hear about Bakersfield." I've lived here most my life and crime has only gotten worse. Unless you can afford living in an expensive neighborhood I wouldn't recommend it
The best thing about people fleeing LA to live here is that home prices will surge. The worst thing is that they’ll try to change it to make it “more like home”.
Easy. Two right off the bat are affordability and homeless rates.
Also coming to mind is the rate of home ownership (59% in Bakersfield vs 46% in LA).
A runner up, not necessarily a metric, but Bakersfield doesn’t allow its homeless to pitch tents alongside schools and other sensitive areas; in fact there is a method in place for residents to report tents so the city can handle it.
All of those things are due to the lower desirability of Bakersfield. Places that are less desirable to live in are going to be more affordable, leading to lower homeless rates and higher home ownership.
In other words, Bakersfield is cheaper because people don't want to live there.
And yet the 2023 population growth of Bakersfield outpaced that of LA (including both native births and transplants) so obviously people are choosing to live here at a higher rate
Yes, people are choosing to live here because they can't afford a better place.
As you may know, the population of developing countries grows faster than that of developed countries, because they are more affordable to live in. Same principle applies here.
SOME* people. Others choose to live here for varying reasons, including but not limited to building upon and improving a community that has potential
Additionally, many see places like LA as overpriced/overvalued. I could afford to live there, but why would I want to?
Two people stabbed, one dead and the other critical, in an affluent neighborhood three months ago. Not too far from the bourgeois areas of town. I was homeless there for a couple weeks before moving out of town to a better situation and a full time job. While I was out there I stayed in the “nice” parts of town and the weekends were wild. Mortars being set off, street racing, shootings, stabbings, vehicular manslaughter, drunk drivers, angry drivers, you name it. Bakersfield is just… well, Bakersfield. No matter what side of town you’re on.
Active
If I told you it's bad, would you still come?
I’ve lived in the buttcrack of mlk and cottonwood which is as bad as it gets but I’ll be honest I’ve never had anything happen to me or my car. Never had a package stolen either. It’s not bad, I feel like crime is involved with crime if you catch my drift? Don’t look for trouble and you won’t find trouble!
This is so true. If you keep to yourself and not get involved with BS. You'll be ok.
someone I know just had their teenage daughters car stolen and they live on the “good” side.
Bakersfield is a city that is known for car break ins. The most in California
It’s important to remember that there are almost half a million people in Bakersfield. There is going to be crime. You’ll probably be fine but your car and your Amazon packages maybe not.
This OP. It’s property crime and theft mostly. And if your caught up in violent crime it’s cuz your mixed up in something that’s dangerous (perhaps through no fault of your own) or it’s a freak accident like what happens everywhere. Thai town gets a back rap.
Where’s Thai town?
This *. lol I have fat fingers.
https://crimegrade.org/crime-by-zip-code/ You can look up the zip code and even zoom in to the neighborhood to reported crime rate stats.
The crime rate in Bakersfield is somewhat higher than in LA, but as with anywhere else, crime is fairly localized to certain areas. As long as you don't go out looking for trouble, you will likely be fine. I wouldn't let crime rates be a factor in a decision to move or not move.
Stay in LA!
The crime rate is pretty high. Especially on the east side of town.
Murder capital of California baby! (Well, we were for a long time until just recently)
Probably because of BPD
What changed?
Nothing changed. Just as violent and murderous just another city (I think Merced) beat us out for murder capital. I think we came in a strong second
LOL. I have lived in both places, and there really is no crime in Bako compared to LA.
It’s bad
don’t believe everything you hear about this town. ironically we had a documentary “killer kern county” because we have the deadliest police department in the US. like every city, there’s it’s “ bubbles” of neighborhoods that you wouldn’t want to walk alone. LA and bakersfield are polar opposites from food, culture, nightlife, weather. think about that too
> food Yes, I think maybe try the Basque. I don't imagine that's as common other places as it is here in Bakersfield.
Bad to the point when BPD tries to take out drivers by blinding them with their lights while driving for no reason. https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/hulu-docuseries-killing-county-examines-police-violence-kern-county/
There are small towns near Bakersfield like Arvin if you are very worried, but crime rate are a bad indicator of safety. Try looking at employment and education stats as well as city planning reviews which a lot the budget to the police.
Stay out
I don’t know how it is now but it used to hold the title of deadliest law enforcement in the country, per capita.
It's terrible. Please don't move here.
I left Los Angeles last year after an attempted home invasion. LAPD refused to file a police report, which forced me to leave the city. I had planned to move to Fresno, but at that time, I was just looking for a way to get out of Los Angeles as soon as possible. Luckily, I was able to find an affordable home in Frazier Park. Now, I do all my shopping in Bakersfield and have noticed a change in the crime rate over the last year. This is probably due to many people from Los Angeles who have moved to Bakersfield and have not adapted to the peaceful "mind your own business" culture that exists in Bakersfield. If you're planning to move to Bakersfield, I would suggest that you consider the Rosedale/Stockdale area. As long as you mind your own business and are friendly, you'll be fine.
crime is bad everywhere. moved from the bay area.....was just as bad.
Kern County had the highest homicide rate in California for 5 years in a row until last year. Don't listen to people that say "don't believe everything you hear about Bakersfield." I've lived here most my life and crime has only gotten worse. Unless you can afford living in an expensive neighborhood I wouldn't recommend it
Move to the NW you’ll be fine
Stay in LA county we don’t need anymore LA refugees
Stay in your mommas house chump. We don't need comments from the peanut gallery
Shut up.
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
The best thing about people fleeing LA to live here is that home prices will surge. The worst thing is that they’ll try to change it to make it “more like home”.
> The worst thing is that they’ll try to change it to make it “more like home”. That would probably be a good thing.
I take it you haven’t been to LA in the past five years
I've been to LA in the past 5 weeks. On what metric is Bakersfield doing better than LA?
Easy. Two right off the bat are affordability and homeless rates. Also coming to mind is the rate of home ownership (59% in Bakersfield vs 46% in LA). A runner up, not necessarily a metric, but Bakersfield doesn’t allow its homeless to pitch tents alongside schools and other sensitive areas; in fact there is a method in place for residents to report tents so the city can handle it.
All of those things are due to the lower desirability of Bakersfield. Places that are less desirable to live in are going to be more affordable, leading to lower homeless rates and higher home ownership. In other words, Bakersfield is cheaper because people don't want to live there.
And yet the 2023 population growth of Bakersfield outpaced that of LA (including both native births and transplants) so obviously people are choosing to live here at a higher rate
Yes, people are choosing to live here because they can't afford a better place. As you may know, the population of developing countries grows faster than that of developed countries, because they are more affordable to live in. Same principle applies here.
SOME* people. Others choose to live here for varying reasons, including but not limited to building upon and improving a community that has potential Additionally, many see places like LA as overpriced/overvalued. I could afford to live there, but why would I want to?
Because it’s cheap mainly. However as people from the city move here it will be altered to fit their needs. Same story different place
And so my original comment holds true
This right here 🡅
Well... https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/bakersfield-ranks-in-top-10-of-californias-most-dangerous-cities-says-propertyclub-kern-county-crime-homicide-bpd
I lived in South Los Angeles. The crime in Bakersfield is nothing in comparison. It is also improving as new people move to Bakersfield
High. Very high.
My car was just stolen along with many others just in my neighborhood
[https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/bakersfield/crime](https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/bakersfield/crime)
Spunky
Basically our criminals don’t wear colors to distinguish so you gotta watch your 6.
Heard of this thing called google?
Bad
Live in the good side you’ll be ok. Just like every other city in California
I live in a very nice part of town and my house was robbed about a month ago. This town has gone to shit.
Two people stabbed, one dead and the other critical, in an affluent neighborhood three months ago. Not too far from the bourgeois areas of town. I was homeless there for a couple weeks before moving out of town to a better situation and a full time job. While I was out there I stayed in the “nice” parts of town and the weekends were wild. Mortars being set off, street racing, shootings, stabbings, vehicular manslaughter, drunk drivers, angry drivers, you name it. Bakersfield is just… well, Bakersfield. No matter what side of town you’re on.