Life in Bakersfield is great - 5/20/2007

I've lived here in Bakersfield for 7 years. It was still cheap when we moved here. Because of my husbands job we've moved a lot. And we are very sad that we have to move again. We met the nicest people here. Everyone is so friendly. We made lifetime friends here. It is a great city. The air is really bad but you live close to the mountain and ocean. And in the winter time you can see the mountains covered with snow. Yes there is a lot of crime but every bigger city has that too. It's still a great place to live. Everyone told us before not to move to Bakersfield. We thought it was the best place we have ever lived in and are very sad to leave.

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Pure Hell - 4/29/2007

I was born here in the 40s. Bakersfield had clean air, practically no crime, and was just a quick hop away from the mountains or coast. TODAY, carry a gun! Wear an oxygen tank whenever you venture outside because we have the distinction of having the worst air quality in the U.S. To get to the coast now, you have to go into battle to fight the congestion and by the time you get there, you're exhausted. The cost of living, which brought so many home seekers here, is now right up there with the rest of the state, with the exception of Orange County and the northern areas. Oh, and ask a physician about the dreaded Valley Fever spores which attach themselves to you lungs -- a possibly fatal disease. If you like 5 months of hot,dry heat (always carry lotion and lip balm), a high crime rate, street gangs and not being able to put potted plants or liftable items by your front door (even in the swankiest neighborhoods), boredom and traffic congestion, then THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!!! Did I mention, the entire month of July usually runs around 110 degrees? Yep, it does. Also, learn to speak Spanish and I hope you're very conservative because everyone wears blinders here. Cheers.

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Best kept secret in California - 4/28/2007

Bakersfield is a University town, with an economy driven by energy and agriculture

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great place to live - 1/16/2007

welcome to bakersfield, a great place to live and visit.....I do not agree with all the critisism that I have heard...for $300,000 you can get a very nice home in a great neighborhood.. the schools are great to my son has been making a a's and maybe a b but the teachers are very nice and so are the students...the crime though is a tad high but i have lived here for 30 years in the same house and i have never been robbed or mugged...

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Bakersfield - 12/28/2006

The city is growing rapidly. Home prices sky rocketed a few years back exceeding the national average. Not quite an entertainment city and is surrounded by agriculture. Crime rate is increasing as gangs migrate from los angeles to bakersfield. Quite racially diverse. Still quite Conservative as Bakersfield tries to hold on to its small town values.

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Listen... - 10/10/2006

I lived in Bakersfield which is another word for hell for nearly six years. So unless you are Mexican, small minded and want to be part of their Dafur like cleansing and treatment of Black people--- Don't--- I repeat don't under any circumstance move to this town. Boring and Hot. This city gets and deserves and "F-"

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Charmless Ugly City - 8/16/2006

I have lived here off and on for 20 years now and it's a digusting place. The town suffers from poor planning, urban sprawl, pollution and high crime rates. Traffic congestion is increasing due to bad public transportation and erratic planning. Unemployment is high and the jobs that are available are usually minimum wage jobs. Although marginally cheaper that other parts of California, housing is very expensive compared to the national average. As for culture of the city....Unless you like Mexican, the restaurants here are bland and bad. The art museum is sad and small for a town of 300,000. Sports teams are second-tiered. The Cal State University is for people who can't get in elsewhere. Schools are mostly far below average. The education level of the population is below average as well. If you live here, don't deal with local businesses. Service, respect and competence are non-existent traits. Everyone seems to be trying to make a quick buck. Deal with the large multi-national corporations instead. On the positive side, if you like to drive for 2 hours or more, there are lots of beautiful natural scenery and large interesting cities to see. You will need them if you live in Bakersfield. I try to get out of town as often as I can. Bakersfield used to be a small charmless, ugly town that has turned into a medium-sized charmless very ugly city. It has the problems of a big city and the closed-mindedness of small town without the amenities of either. I have lived here off and on for 20 years now and it's a digusting place. The town suffers from poor planning, urban sprawl, pollution and high crime rates. Traffic congestion is increasing due to bad public transportation and erratic planning. Unemployment is high and the jobs that are available are usually minimum wage jobs. Although marginally cheaper that other parts of California, housing is very expensive compared to the national average. As for culture of the city....Unless you like Mexican, the restaurants here are bland and bad. The art museum is sad and small for a town of 300,000. Sports teams are second-tiered. The Cal State University is for people who can't get in elsewhere. Schools are mostly far below average. The education level of the population is below average as well. If you live here, don't deal with local businesses. Service, respect and competence are non-existent traits. Everyone seems to be trying to make a quick buck. Deal with the large multi-

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One big small town - 6/20/2006

It's the biggest small town I know. The country atmosphere is still there even though the population just gets bigger and bigger.

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unbreathable air - 6/3/2006

The air quality here in Bakersfield has gotten so bad in the last several years that I have a hard time getting through one day of work (I work outside) without my eyes burning so bad I can't see. I am very serious about relocating in the next five years when I retire.

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Kirk - 3/3/2006

Compared to other California cities, Bakersfield is one of the better ones. Our motto ought to be "only a hour and a half from where you want to be". We're close to the ocean and not too far from the mountains. You truly can decide wether to surf or snow ski in the winter. Same travel time to get into the jungle of Los Angeles if you dare. It's pretty much a conservative family town. Though the last few years we have grown tremendously.

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Donna - 2/27/2006

Bakersfield cost of living is fairly low compared to the rest of the state.

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Quality of Life in Bakersfield - 2/25/2006

Due to demographic changes, Bakersfield is no longer the town it once was.

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Used to be a great place to live. - 2/5/2006

I've lived in Bakersfield all of my life. With the recent move of gangs from LA, Bakersfield has tripled in violent crime, accidents and property theft. We have an estimated 200 days of bad air quality days per year as well. The only good thing I see from living here that we are about two hour drive from Los Angeles, the beaches and lakes and four hours from Las Vegas and the bay area.

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I have lived in Bakersfield all my life... - 1/18/2006

...and I am now wanting to relocate. This town has outgrown me and has attracted to many big city problems from LA and San Francisco. The Air sucks, it's terribly hot all summer and now I don't like the people, so it is time for me to move on.

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Economy - 10/6/2005

Bakersfield is a place where you can always find a job. There are "Now Hiring" signs all over the city. It has a climate that is not too cold and hot in the summer. It has reasonable prices for houses. You can get a lot more for your money here. We have lived here for 25 years.

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