How much is rent in Bakersfield, CA?

The median 2-bedroom in Bakersfield rents for $1,398 a month with utilities, $165 less than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,086 and a 3-bedroom $1,762.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,3982-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,0861-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$55,920Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
22%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Bakersfield by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,040/mo
Bakersfield
$1,040
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $41,600²
1 bedroom$1,086/mo
Bakersfield
$1,086
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $43,440²
2 bedrooms$1,398/mo
Bakersfield
$1,398
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $55,920²
3 bedrooms$1,762/mo
Bakersfield
$1,762
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $70,480²
4 bedrooms$2,170/mo
Bakersfield
$2,170
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $86,800²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Bakersfield

Where rent costs less than Bakersfield

26 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Bakersfield
Paducah, KY	$886	$512/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$497/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$479/mo
Bloomington, IN	$1,358	$40/mo
Myrtle Beach, SC	$1,383	$15/mo
Indianapolis, IN	$1,397	$1/mo

Rent in Bakersfield: questions people ask

How much is rent in Bakersfield?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,491 a month. By size: studio $1,040, 1 bedroom $1,086, 2 bedrooms $1,398, 3 bedrooms $1,762, 4 bedrooms $2,170 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Bakersfield?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $55,920 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $43,440.

What share of income goes to rent in Bakersfield?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 22% of the median household income of $74,621 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Bakersfield?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in California

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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