Overall
100.9
+0.9 above avg
Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Cost-of-living indicators for Bakersfield-Delano, CA, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.
- 100.9
- Overall RPP
- #71
- of 387 metros
- 90.3
- Rents RPP
- $99K
- $100K national buys
Bakersfield ranks #71 of 387 U.S. metros by cost, and its overall price index has risen 4.0 points since 2008.
- rising since 2008
- similar cost to Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
The verdict
Bakersfield is more expensive than 82% of U.S. metros, an overall cost index of 100.9, 0.9% above the national average, led by services at 158.3.
- top 18%
- by overall cost, nationwide
- 105.2
- goods RPP, tradable items
- 158.3
- services RPP, labor-priced
- $67K
- local median income, national buying power
A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $99,122 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $100,886.
What the Numbers Mean for Bakersfield
Bakersfield ranks #71 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper 25% by overall cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 100.9, Bakersfield-Delano, CA is 0.9% costlier than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Bakersfield's most and least expensive categories - services at 158.3 versus rents at 90.3 - is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $99,122 inside Bakersfield, while a household needs roughly $100,886 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 90.3 - 9.7% below the national average, so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Bakersfield's overall index has risen by 4.0 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 105.2 and services at 158.3, meaning everyday spending in Bakersfield is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Bakersfield vs every U.S. metro
Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution
101 Top 18% higher than 82% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024
Bakersfield cost breakdown
BEA RPP by category, 100 = national average
- Rents
Rents
90.3 RPP
- Services
Services
158.3 RPP
- Overall
Overall
100.9 RPP
- Goods
Goods
105.2 RPP
What this shows Bakersfield's gap from the national average is led by services at 158.3. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.
Goods vs. housing, where Bakersfield's cost comes from
Metros near Bakersfield's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.4, rents 119.8). Bakersfield is driven more by goods prices than by rent, unlike its peers. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price Index Summary
Goods
105.2
+5.2 above avg
Services
158.3
+58.3 above avg
Rents
90.3
-9.7 below avg
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$100,886
in Bakersfield-Delano, CA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$50,443
$75,000 nationally
$75,664
$125,000 nationally
$126,107
$150,000 nationally
$151,329
$200,000 nationally
$201,772
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 4.0 points over this period. The largest single-year move was in 2022, when the index jumped 3.6 points from the year before.
Bakersfield overall RPP, 2008-2024
Every year on record, national average = 100
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.9 |
| 2009 | 100.3 |
| 2010 | 98.2 |
| 2011 | 100.4 |
| 2012 | 101.1 |
| 2013 | 99.7 |
| 2014 | 99.6 |
| 2015 | 97.7 |
| 2016 | 96.5 |
| 2017 | 98.5 |
| 2018 | 101.7 |
| 2019 | 101.1 |
| 2020 | 100.3 |
| 2021 | 100.9 |
| 2022 | 104.5 |
| 2023 | 102.4 |
| 2024 | 100.9 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Bakersfield-Delano, CA's index of 100.9.
Other CA Metros
What this means for Bakersfield
How to read Bakersfield's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.
- Budget to local prices, not headline pay, a $100K national salary spends like about $99,122 in Bakersfield. Salary calculator
- Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 90.3 (9.7% below average) - the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
- Local median household income is $67,660; adjusted for Bakersfield's price level that is about $67,066 in national-average buying power.
- Compare Bakersfield head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros
RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown, not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.
Compare to Other Metros
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Bakersfield-Delano, CA? ▼
Bakersfield-Delano, CA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 100.9, meaning it is 0.9% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 105.2, services at 158.3, and rents at 90.3. It ranks #71 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Bakersfield-Delano, CA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $100,886 in Bakersfield-Delano, CA. Conversely, $100K earned in Bakersfield-Delano, CA has the purchasing power of $99,122 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Bakersfield-Delano, CA? ▼
Rents in Bakersfield-Delano, CA are indexed at 90.3, which is 9.7% below the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Bakersfield-Delano, CA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Bakersfield-Delano, CA's overall cost index changed by +4.0 points (from 96.9 to 100.9). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Bakersfield-Delano, CA? ▼
The priciest category in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is services at 158.3, 58.3% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 90.3, 9.7% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Bakersfield-Delano, CA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Ann Arbor, Salt Lake City-Murray. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Bakersfield-Delano, CA's 100.9.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Federal data behind these figures
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) - the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) - the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) - the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) - wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.