Bakersfield CA vs Evansville IN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Bakersfield, CA

California · Population: 408,366

  • Median HH Income$77,397
  • Median Home Price$396,712
  • Unemployment7.0%
  • Bachelor's+23.3%

Evansville, IN

Indiana · Population: 116,441

  • Median HH Income$52,251
  • Median Home Price$200,657
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+22.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bakersfield
408,366
Bakersfield +
Evansville
116,441
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bakersfield
N/A
Evansville
N/A
Median Age
Bakersfield
31.9
Bakersfield +
Evansville
38.1
Foreign Born
Bakersfield
19.9%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
3.9%
White
Bakersfield
46.9%
Evansville
77.1%
Evansville +
Black
Bakersfield
6.2%
Evansville
13.5%
Evansville +
Asian
Bakersfield
7.8%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
1.1%
Hispanic
Bakersfield
53.6%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
4.0%
Spanish at Home
Bakersfield
N/A
Evansville
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bakersfield
$77,397
Bakersfield +
Evansville
$52,251
Per Capita Income
Bakersfield
$32,956
Bakersfield +
Evansville
$31,236
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bakersfield
$77,230
Bakersfield +
Evansville
$58,697
Unemployment Rate
Bakersfield
7.0%
Evansville
5.3%
Evansville +
Poverty Rate
Bakersfield
16.0%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
18.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bakersfield
23.3%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
22.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bakersfield
$396,712
Evansville
$200,657
Evansville +
Homeownership Rate
Bakersfield
60.2%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
53.9%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bakersfield
503
Evansville
370
Evansville +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bakersfield
2388
Evansville
1719
Evansville +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bakersfield
34.5%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
40.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bakersfield
12.4%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
13.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bakersfield
19.6%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
19.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bakersfield
15.3%
Evansville
9.6%
Evansville +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bakersfield
16.9%
Evansville
15.8%
Evansville +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bakersfield
13.4%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
18.6%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bakersfield
64.0°F
Evansville
60.1°F
Evansville +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bakersfield
8.0 in
Bakersfield +
Evansville
46.8 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Bakersfield
7.9 µg/m³
Bakersfield +
Evansville
10.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Bakersfield
75.0%
Bakersfield +
Evansville
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bakersfield
25.1 min
Evansville
20.2 min
Evansville +

Which City is Right for You?

Bakersfield leads in median household income at $77,397, while evansville offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $200,657. On public safety, Evansville is safer with a violent crime rate of 370 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Bakersfield. Evansville has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Bakersfield has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Bakersfield scores better with a lower obesity rate of 34.5%.

Compare More Cities

About Bakersfield & Evansville