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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Bakersfield, CA has a Safety Score of 19/100 — higher crime than 81% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,026.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,388 of 2,957 US cities and #206 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Bakersfield, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Bakersfield, California Safe?
Bakersfield, a city in California's Central Valley, is known for its country music heritage, the "Bakersfield Sound." It is a major agricultural and oil-producing region, with a diverse population of over 400,000 residents.
Bakersfield has a safety score of 19/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,026.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Bakersfield ranks #206 out of 264 cities in California and #2388 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 19th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 81% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Bakersfield is motor vehicle theft, at 673.1 per 100K — 1.9x the national average. Conversely, larceny-theft is relatively low at just 0.8x the national rate.
Year over year, Bakersfield's total crime rate decreased by 28.2%, with violent crime declining 37%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Bakersfield Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 2,315 | 556.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 28 | 6.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 170 | 40.9 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 523 | 125.7 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,587 | 381.4 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 10,277 | 2,469.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 2,237 | 537.6 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 5,239 | 1,259.0 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2,801 | 673.1 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Bakersfield vs California Average
How does Bakersfield's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Bakersfield | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 556.3 | 518.0 | +7.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,469.7 | 2,161.3 | +14.3% |
| Murder Rate | 6.7 | 4.4 | +53.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,026.1 | 2,679.3 | +12.9% |
Bakersfield Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Bakersfield, California.
Between 2019 and 2024, Bakersfield's total crime rate is down 34% (4,597 → 3,026 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 22% and property crime down 40% over the same period.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 416,120 | 3,026.1 | 556.3 | 2,469.7 |
| 2023 | 413,409 | 4,212.3 | 883.6 | 3,328.7 |
| 2022 | 411,873 | 4,526.4 | 548.7 | 3,977.7 |
| 2020 | 388,265 | 4,539.7 | 516.9 | 4,022.8 |
| 2019 | 388,080 | 4,597.0 | 455.1 | 4,141.9 |
Bakersfield Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Bakersfield and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: California crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakersfield, California safe?
Bakersfield has a safety score of 19/100, meaning it has less crime than about 19% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,026.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Bakersfield is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Bakersfield, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Bakersfield has a violent crime rate of 556.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,469.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Bakersfield compare to the national average?
Bakersfield's total crime rate of 3,026.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 416,120 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Bakersfield?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Bakersfield are larceny-theft (5,239 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (2,801 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 4.4x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Bakersfield in 2024?
28 murders were reported to the FBI for Bakersfield in 2024 — a homicide rate of 6.7 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Bakersfield going up or down?
Bakersfield's total crime rate is falling: 34% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (3,026 vs 4,597 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Bakersfield safe to visit?
Like any city, Bakersfield has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 19/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.