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Bakersfield's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Bakersfield.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Bakersfield. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Bakersfield neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Bakersfield hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Bakersfield area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Stockdale Estates ranks way above the rest.
We examined 40 of Bakersfield's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Bakersfield's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Bakersfield For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Bakersfield for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Homaker Park looks to be the worst neighborhood in Bakersfield.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Bakersfield that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Bakersfield.
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Bakersfield For 2022
/10
Population: 5,292
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $7,450 (worst)
Median Income: $24,221 (2nd worst)
More on Homaker Park: Data
/10
Population: 9,387
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $82,670 (5th worst)
Median Income: $23,488 (worst)
More on Lakeview: Data
/10
Population: 1,520
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $134,400 (12th worst)
Median Income: $27,884 (5th worst)
More on Downtown: Data
/10
Population: 5,739
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $90,500 (6th worst)
Median Income: $36,108 (9th worst)
More on Rexland Acres: Data
/10
Population: 471
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $164,100 (19th worst)
Median Income: $39,823 (11th worst)
More on Tyner Homes: Data
/10
Population: 15,785
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $69,158 (4th worst)
Median Income: $25,423 (4th worst)
More on East Bakersfield: Data
/10
Population: 7,151
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $100,112 (7th worst)
Median Income: $29,411 (6th worst)
More on Southgate: Data
/10
Population: 1,321
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $148,400 (15th worst)
Median Income: $56,593 (20th worst)
More on Quailwood: Data
/10
Population: 7,703
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $66,500 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $24,460 (3rd worst)
More on College Heights-Baker Street: Data
/10
Population: 2,731
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $118,400 (9th worst)
Median Income: $54,042 (17th worst)
More on Stockdale Greens: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Bakersfield neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Bakersfield:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Bakersfield, California for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Bakersfield.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Bakersfield to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 40 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Bakersfield
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Bakersfield with Homaker Park landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Bakersfield aren't all bad. Stockdale Estates takes the cake as the best place to live in Bakersfield.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more California reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Bakersfield For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homaker Park | 5,292 |
| 2 | Lakeview | 9,387 |
| 3 | Downtown | 1,520 |
| 4 | Rexland Acres | 5,739 |
| 5 | Tyner Homes | 471 |
| 6 | East Bakersfield | 15,785 |
| 7 | Southgate | 7,151 |
| 8 | Quailwood | 1,321 |
| 9 | College Heights-Baker Street | 7,703 |
| 10 | Stockdale Greens | 2,731 |
| 11 | Eastridge Estates | 788 |
| 12 | Benton Park | 9,376 |
| 13 | Spice Tract | 8,685 |
| 14 | Casa Loma | 3,854 |
| 15 | Sagepointe | 2,817 |
| 16 | La Cresta-Altavista | 5,286 |
| 17 | Castle Ranch | 2,903 |
| 18 | Stone Creek | 881 |
| 19 | Ridgeview Estates | 1,651 |
| 20 | Park Stockdale | 6,840 |
| 21 | Oleander Sunset | 15,565 |
| 22 | The Seasons | 5,209 |
| 23 | Rio Bravo | 183 |
| 24 | Riviera-Westchester | 3,984 |
| 25 | Hillcrest | 6,222 |
| 26 | Silver Creek | 6,485 |
| 27 | Stonegate | 3,939 |
| 28 | Seven Oaks | 3,540 |
| 29 | Laurelglen | 8,448 |
| 30 | Bakersfield Country Club | 6,400 |
| 31 | Amberton | 1,223 |
| 32 | Haggin Oaks | 2,291 |
| 33 | Stone Meadows | 5,518 |
| 34 | The Oaks | 5,036 |
| 35 | Terra Vista | 4,056 |
| 36 | Southern Oaks | 1,882 |
| 37 | Artisan | 3,966 |
| 38 | Csu Bakersfield | 1,995 |
| 39 | Tevis Ranch | 4,865 |
| 40 | Stockdale Estates | 2,438 |
