The tension here is direction versus level. Violent crime fell 37.0% year over year in the 2024 FBI reporting year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving, yet the current 556 per 100k still runs 46% above the national 381, and property crime at 2,470 per 100k sits 26% above the national 1,954. On measured crime the city lands in the 8th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades. Schools pull in two directions as well: 146 rated schools average 3.7/10, with middle schools at 3.4/10 and high schools stronger at 5.3/10, while Norris Elementary reaches 7.5/10, showing how wide the spread runs inside one city. California's 41 federal flood declarations from 1954 to 2024 are state-level context, not a parcel determination. Each figure above is a city-wide average, and none of them describes the specific block you are buying on.
Crime in Bakersfield vs. the national average
Bakersfield reports 556 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 46% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,470 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (26% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 37.0% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving. Single-year swings of this size can also reflect changes in how agencies report crime data, not only changes on the ground.
| Bakersfield | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 556 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2470 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Bakersfield can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for California — the state SafeNest uses for Bakersfield's flood context — list 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1954 and 2024, most recently "Severe Storm And Flooding". California has also seen 6 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Bakersfield address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Bakersfield
Public schools in Bakersfield average 3.7/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 146 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 5.3/10 on average, while middle schools average 3.4/10. The highest-scoring is Norris Elementary at 7.5/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Bakersfield: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Bakersfield address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Compare other cities
- Compare with Los Angeles crime rate.
- Also on SafeNest: is Long Beach safe?
- See also crime and safety data for Fresno.
- Compare how safe Anaheim is.
- Another city on the same data: the Santa Ana safety report.
Check a specific Bakersfield address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF.
Or search any Bakersfield address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Bakersfield
Is Bakersfield, CA safe?
Bakersfield records 556 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 46% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: C, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield reports approximately 556 violent crimes and 2470 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Bakersfield have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Bakersfield, federal records show 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations for California, most recently in 2024; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in California.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).