Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bakersfield, CA vs Lancaster, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Bakersfield needs about $89,000 in Lancaster to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Lancaster, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Bakersfield.
A few differences
- Lancaster is higher on median household income ($81,511 vs $80,540).
- Bakersfield is lower on cost of living index (107 vs 116).
- Bakersfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,327/mo vs $1,678/mo).
Bakersfield vs Lancaster · facet by facet
| Facet | Bakersfield, CA | Lancaster, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $371,700 | $446,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,327/mo | $1,678/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 107 | 116 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $80,540 | $81,511 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Bakersfield, CA · Lancaster, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Bakersfield cheaper than Lancaster?
- Bakersfield has the lower day-to-day cost index (107 vs 116 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Lancaster equals $85,000 in Bakersfield?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bakersfield needs about $89,000 in Lancaster to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Lancaster lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Bakersfield.