Bakersfield vs Las Vegas
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $371,700 in Bakersfield and $427,900 in Las Vegas.
- Households earn more in Bakersfield ($80,540 vs $73,877 median).
- Las Vegas has more scorching days: 137 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 112.
- Nevada has no state income tax on wages; California's top rate is 13.3%.
Side by side
| Bakersfield, CA | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 422,165 | 679,817 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.4% | +5.3% |
| People per square mile | 2,809 | 4,792 |
| Median age | 32.1 | 38.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 28% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $80,540 | $73,877 |
| Median home value | $371,700 | $427,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.6× | 5.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,472 | $1,563 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.9 | 100.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 90.3 | 115.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 61% | 57% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 8.24% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.6 | 25.7 |
| Work from home | 8% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7% | 7.4% |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 14% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 59° / 41° | 59° / 41° |
| July high / low | 98° / 71° | 105° / 82° |
| Precipitation per year | 6 in | 4 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 112 | 137 |
| Nights below freezing | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.9 | 99.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 18% | 31% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.5% | +2.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +41.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bakersfield: February to May and October to November. Las Vegas: February to April and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Bakersfield weather by month and Las Vegas weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,700 in Bakersfield and $75,200 in Las Vegas. Moving from Bakersfield to Las Vegas, you would need about $74,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Bakersfield and Las Vegas
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Bakersfield and Las Vegas.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.