Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bakersfield, CA vs San Luis Obispo, 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 $92,000 in San Luis Obispo to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Luis Obispo, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $78,000 in Bakersfield.
A few differences
- Bakersfield is higher on median household income ($80,540 vs $73,685).
- Bakersfield is lower on cost of living index (107 vs 150).
- Bakersfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,327/mo vs $2,154/mo).
Bakersfield vs San Luis Obispo · facet by facet
| Facet | Bakersfield, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $371,700 | $935,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,327/mo | $2,154/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 | 150 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $80,540 | $73,685 |
| 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 · San Luis Obispo, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Bakersfield cheaper than San Luis Obispo?
- Bakersfield has the lower day-to-day cost index (107 vs 150 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Luis Obispo equals $85,000 in Bakersfield?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bakersfield needs about $92,000 in San Luis Obispo to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Luis Obispo lifestyle costs about $78,000 in Bakersfield.