Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Bakersfield as a whole is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns
Bakersfield differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bakersfield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bakersfield
Making ends meet is harder in Bakersfield
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.2%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (11.5% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (13.3% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 24.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Bakersfield
56.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 14.1% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
More Bakersfield adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.7%), vs 24.6% across California. There are 107 miles of trails across 80 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Health varies a lot right around Bakersfield
Grades next door run from Rosedale (A−) to East Bakersfield (D−). Bakersfield is a C. Around town ↓
Bakersfield has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 4 community health centers are inside Bakersfield. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the California figure falls outside Bakersfield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Bakersfield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bakersfield is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns, #631 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 63% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bakersfield’s median household income is $80,540; among the 10,719 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$101K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bakersfield compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 422,165 residents, Bakersfield is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.1% of Bakersfield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bakersfield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
107 miles of trails across 80 parks and preserves
Bakersfield and the towns around it
Bakersfield’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | C | 34.5% | 12.4% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Rosedale | A− | 30% | 9.5% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Greenacres | B− | 32.3% | 11.3% | 13% | CDC place |
| East Niles | D | 40.2% | 15.7% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| East Bakersfield | D− | 44.6% | 18.3% | 22.1% | CDC place |
| La Cresta | D | 38.5% | 13.9% | 15.9% | CDC place |
| Potomac Park | D− | 43% | 18.4% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| Pumpkin Center | — | — | — | — |
Pumpkin Center: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Bakersfield
4 hospitals and 4 community health centers in Bakersfield, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bakersfield; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Bakersfield adults…
Bakersfield runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Bakersfield residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Bakersfield adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bakersfield runs above California.
4 in 10 Bakersfield adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bakersfield adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bakersfield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bakersfield is better than California on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Bakersfield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bakersfield | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.9%23.4–28.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.5–16.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.6–21.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%29.3–40 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.4%11–14 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.6%27.4–33.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.2%28.8–35.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.4%18.1–22.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.8–16.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.8–15.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.7%26.1–33.4 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.2–19.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%33.5–43.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%13.7–17 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.2%67.6–74.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.3%53–59.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%80.3–84 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.8%64.6–70.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.1%51.4–60.8 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%67.7–80.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.7–25.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%32.5–41.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%25.9–32.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.2%22.7–27.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.7%18.6–23 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.3%12–14.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.1%22–26.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%31.3–38.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.3–17.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.5–20 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.7%7.1–8.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%9.2–11 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.6–5.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bakersfield
Is Bakersfield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bakersfield is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #631 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bakersfield?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 40%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bakersfield?
Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Bakersfield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bakersfield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.7–17%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bakersfield more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bakersfield.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.