Head to head
Bakersfield, CA vs New York, NY
Bakersfield is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $821/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $25,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For a household of four, New York is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and that spread is far steeper in some markets than others.
| Metric | Bakersfield57 | New York41 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,920 | $5,741 |
| Est. monthly cost (household of 4) | $9,823 | $9,750 |
| Salary for comfort | $96,000/yr | $121,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,483 | $2,910 |
| Median home value | $347,300 | $751,700 |
| Median household income | $77,397 | $79,713 |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Housing score | 67 | 3 |
| Jobs score | 32 | 36 |
| Safety score | 54 | 47 |
| Climate score | 90 | 96 |
| Amenities score | 47 | 40 |
| Population | 408.4K | 8.5M |
| Summer high / winter low | 97° / 37° | 86° / 23° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Bakersfield, CA
New York, NY