Bakersfield is bad compared to what? (Los Angeles, San Diego: crime, house, neighborhoods)

[sonyab523]

I was extended a job offer in Bakersfield and have read through here that it is terrible. I drove around a bit and didn't see anything terrible, I did find that the cost of living is superb. A little bit about my background: I'm a millennial that was born and raised in Detroit, Detroit is ranked the #1 worst city to live in for reference due to poverty, home values and homicide rates. I didn't feel it was that bad but yes there are better places to live. I moved to Lansing after graduating and bought a house in Lansing, MI. Lansing is also ranked one of the worst cities to live in due to crime and poverty though I thought it was descent. I currently live in Downtown Chicago and love it as it has great restaurants and shopping. Chicago is ranked one of the countries most dangerous cities, but again I enjoy it. What I don't like is the cold so I have decided to move to California.

So when people say Bakersfield is terrible, it's terrible compared to what? LA? Other suburbs? I was concerned about air quality but then found out that Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno also make up the top 5 so either way I'd be getting bad air pollution. It seems close enough to LA where if I wanted to go shopping or to some restaurants I could just head down on the weekends. I'm a homebody so not to interested in night life. It would also be great to hear from some executives who currently live in Bakersfield.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by sonyab523

I was extended a job offer in Bakersfield and have read through here that it is terrible. I drove around a bit and didn't see anything terrible, I did find that the cost of living is superb. A little bit about my background: I'm a millennial that was born and raised in Detroit, Detroit is ranked the #1 worst city to live in for reference due to poverty, home values and homicide rates. I didn't feel it was that bad but yes there are better places to live. I moved to Lansing after graduating and bought a house in Lansing, MI. Lansing is also ranked one of the worst cities to live in due to crime and poverty though I thought it was descent. I currently live in Downtown Chicago and love it as it has great restaurants and shopping. Chicago is ranked one of the countries most dangerous cities, but again I enjoy it. What I don't like is the cold so I have decided to move to California.

So when people say Bakersfield is terrible, it's terrible compared to what? LA? Other suburbs? I was concerned about air quality but then found out that Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno also make up the top 5 so either way I'd be getting bad air pollution. It seems close enough to LA where if I wanted to go shopping or to some restaurants I could just head down on the weekends. I'm a homebody so not to interested in night life. It would also be great to hear from some executives who currently live in Bakersfield.

It's boring. It's isolated. It has bad air quality. It's a cow town. It's pretty much ass hot 9 out of 12 months of the year. Also Bakersfield is more like a 2 hour drive one way into LA on most days and that's without traffic (which there will be 90% of the time around Santa Clarita and Burbank).

It's not Mogadishu, but it's not on anyone's Top 5 Destinations to visit before you die list either.

[Californiaguy2007]

Hi there...Here in California this city and so many other places here in the Central Valley has been given a lot of negative feedback because it's not one of the Coastal Cities aka Desirable Parts and Bakersfield has long been known for as Agriculture,Oil Fields,Farmlands,Country Music,so a lot of people perceive Bakersfield as a Redneck-Hillbilly Cowtown When in reality it's just like Anytown,USA with it's good and bad parts, and the city continues to grow and has all the modern conveniences just like other mid-sized cities,but because it's Bakersfield,it will always have others look down on it unfortunately

Yes the Summers here are Hot and Dry,but tolerable in my opinion and not as extreme as Phoenix or Vegas.
Winters here are also considered chilly compared to L.A or San Diego,but mild compared to where you currently live at (Chicago).

Yup from Bakersfield your about 2 1/2 hours to L.A and your nearby to many other wonderful attractions all around Coastal and Southern California that you can visit,and Vegas is about 5 hours away as well

Originally Posted by sonyab523

I was extended a job offer in Bakersfield and have read through here that it is terrible. I drove around a bit and didn't see anything terrible, I did find that the cost of living is superb. A little bit about my background: I'm a millennial that was born and raised in Detroit, Detroit is ranked the #1 worst city to live in for reference due to poverty, home values and homicide rates. I didn't feel it was that bad but yes there are better places to live. I moved to Lansing after graduating and bought a house in Lansing, MI. Lansing is also ranked one of the worst cities to live in due to crime and poverty though I thought it was descent. I currently live in Downtown Chicago and love it as it has great restaurants and shopping. Chicago is ranked one of the countries most dangerous cities, but again I enjoy it. What I don't like is the cold so I have decided to move to California.

So when people say Bakersfield is terrible, it's terrible compared to what? LA? Other suburbs? I was concerned about air quality but then found out that Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno also make up the top 5 so either way I'd be getting bad air pollution. It seems close enough to LA where if I wanted to go shopping or to some restaurants I could just head down on the weekends. I'm a homebody so not to interested in night life. It would also be great to hear from some executives who currently live in Bakersfield.

[TacoSoup]

Bakersfield, like the rest of the Central Valley, and the inland empire too, gets its bad reputation mostly because of who it borders. I’d rather be inland in California than most other places in the US because of the endless options for weekend trips, and access to the Pacific Ocean in a reasonable amount of time.

[49erfan916]

It's boring as hell but there's worse options out there. (Stockton)

[Californiaguy2007]

So true the Central Valley and the Inland Empire are in closer proximity to a lot of attractions all throughout the state

Originally Posted by TacoSoup

Bakersfield, like the rest of the Central Valley, and the inland empire too, gets its bad reputation mostly because of who it borders. I’d rather be inland in California than most other places in the US because of the endless options for weekend trips, and access to the Pacific Ocean in a reasonable amount of time.

[Californiaguy2007]

If your coming from L.A,San Francisco or San Diego then yeah some may consider it boring because of lack of entertainment/attractions compared to those places,but in reality Bakersfield is just smaller and a more laid back city compared to those places.

You must not like living in the Central Valley which is why your bored

Originally Posted by 49erfan916

It's boring as hell but there's worse options out there. (Stockton)

[Mr5150]

Most people who live in Bakersfield like it. Enough said.

[Californiaguy2007]

So true...You mostly hear about the one's who hate it are on city data forums

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Most people who live in Bakersfield like it. Enough said.

[ryanst530]

I don't live there, but I do visit regularly. Like any city, Bakersfield has its share of pros and cons. While I wouldn't consider it a desirable city to move to, it has its charms if you can manage to open your mind a little.

For one, the areas surrounding Bakersfield are actually quite pretty, and the views from certain parts of the city are nice. There are nicer neighborhoods that will remove you from the grittier and less attractive parts of the city. Ideally, you want to be in the west/southwest areas rather than central/north/northeast.

Bakersfield is one of those places where, if you *have* to live there, there are ways to make it comfortable. You probably don't want to spend your entire life there, but as a short-term/medium-term destination, it's manageable.