2026 Compare Cities Job Market:
West Plains, MO vs Bakersfield, CA

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Highlights
- Job Growth in Bakersfield has been positive.
- Bakersfield has 3.0% less unemployment than West Plains.
- Bakersfield job growth has increased by 10.6% in the past 10 years.
 West Plains, MOBakersfield, CAUnited States
 Current Unemployment  Unlock8.0%6.0%
 Future Job Growth19.8%  Unlock33.5%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock-6.1%-6.2%
 3 Yr. Job Growth-0.2%  Unlock-3.6%
 5 Yr. Job Growth  Unlock-3.4%-0.7%
 10 Yr. Job Growth-0.3%  Unlock6.3%
Reviews for West Plains    6 Reviews

Over 13 years ago

Nice place to live, though jobs are hard to come by (have to know someone). Relocated here 2 1/2 years ago, still haven't gotten a good paying job. Cost of living is low  More

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Over 16 years ago

I'm thinking of moving to West Plains Missouri. I currently live in California and have a possible job opportunity teaching at the college in West Plains. I believe I'd  More

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Over 17 years ago

We choose to live in Alton, MO because of the air quality of 75% The reason AQ in West Plains, MO is only 43 % A company there makes charcoal and a very big  More

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Reviews for Bakersfield    75 Reviews

I am a millennial, born and raised here. As someone who wrestled with staying for years, there are a lot of valid reasons to not come to Bakersfield. Air quality, summer  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have lived here all of my life. 40+ years. It used to be fun and kinda safe but now it is so scary to go outside. We are literally a homeless dumping ground and there  More

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I moved here from Seattle 25 years ago, when it had a population of 200,000, and practically the only place to get coffee was a place called “Duke’s Ranch”. Why did I  More

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