Bakersfield market pulse
Real public data for Bakersfield's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
-2.5%
in 1 year · Bakersfield metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 331.1 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 326.8 | -1.3% |
| 2025 Q4 | 322.2 | -2.7% |
| 2026 Q1 | 322.7 | -2.5% |
| 2026 Q2 | 322.7 | -2.5% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Bakersfield-Delano, CA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+26%
in 5 years · Bakersfield metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 256.7 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 271.1 | +5.6% |
| 2021 Q4 | 278.0 | +8.3% |
| 2022 Q1 | 296.7 | +16% |
| 2022 Q2 | 305.2 | +19% |
| 2022 Q3 | 302.2 | +18% |
| 2022 Q4 | 298.0 | +16% |
| 2023 Q1 | 292.1 | +14% |
| 2023 Q2 | 303.1 | +18% |
| 2023 Q3 | 312.4 | +22% |
| 2023 Q4 | 320.8 | +25% |
| 2024 Q1 | 313.6 | +22% |
| 2024 Q2 | 322.5 | +26% |
| 2024 Q3 | 323.9 | +26% |
| 2024 Q4 | 328.2 | +28% |
| 2025 Q1 | 323.9 | +26% |
| 2025 Q2 | 331.1 | +29% |
| 2025 Q3 | 326.8 | +27% |
| 2025 Q4 | 322.2 | +26% |
| 2026 Q1 | 322.7 | +26% |
| 2026 Q2 | 322.7 | +26% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Bakersfield-Delano, CA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+80%
in 10 years · Bakersfield metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 179.7 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 179.8 | +0.1% |
| 2016 Q4 | 182.6 | +1.6% |
| 2017 Q1 | 183.1 | +1.9% |
| 2017 Q2 | 189.4 | +5.4% |
| 2017 Q3 | 189.8 | +5.6% |
| 2017 Q4 | 190.8 | +6.2% |
| 2018 Q1 | 194.4 | +8.2% |
| 2018 Q2 | 196.7 | +9.5% |
| 2018 Q3 | 198.8 | +11% |
| 2018 Q4 | 201.9 | +12% |
| 2019 Q1 | 200.9 | +12% |
| 2019 Q2 | 204.4 | +14% |
| 2019 Q3 | 208.5 | +16% |
| 2019 Q4 | 210.2 | +17% |
| 2020 Q1 | 215.1 | +20% |
| 2020 Q2 | 220.6 | +23% |
| 2020 Q3 | 225.7 | +26% |
| 2020 Q4 | 236.2 | +31% |
| 2021 Q1 | 242.7 | +35% |
| 2021 Q2 | 256.7 | +43% |
| 2021 Q3 | 271.1 | +51% |
| 2021 Q4 | 278.0 | +55% |
| 2022 Q1 | 296.7 | +65% |
| 2022 Q2 | 305.2 | +70% |
| 2022 Q3 | 302.2 | +68% |
| 2022 Q4 | 298.0 | +66% |
| 2023 Q1 | 292.1 | +63% |
| 2023 Q2 | 303.1 | +69% |
| 2023 Q3 | 312.4 | +74% |
| 2023 Q4 | 320.8 | +79% |
| 2024 Q1 | 313.6 | +75% |
| 2024 Q2 | 322.5 | +79% |
| 2024 Q3 | 323.9 | +80% |
| 2024 Q4 | 328.2 | +83% |
| 2025 Q1 | 323.9 | +80% |
| 2025 Q2 | 331.1 | +84% |
| 2025 Q3 | 326.8 | +82% |
| 2025 Q4 | 322.2 | +79% |
| 2026 Q1 | 322.7 | +80% |
| 2026 Q2 | 322.7 | +80% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Bakersfield-Delano, CA: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+85%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 10 ZIPs, from +67% to +130%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 10 of Bakersfield's 10 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,521 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$178
a month less to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 93301
- Own: 3-bedroom sample house, $284,900Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,521 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$1,882 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 3 bedrooms
- $2,060 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.624%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 1,400 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Bakersfield's census tracts: 2,954 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.125% to 6.99%
- Loan costs at closing
- $7,505 medianMiddle half $5,094 to $11,207: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 1,503 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $832,750 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $541,287 (one-unit home, Kern County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 95% of the value (median)Middle half 80% to 96.5%. 72.4% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 60.4% more than 90%, 45.5% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 2,915 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 52% · FHA 41.6%VA 6.4% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 65.7% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $3,328. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,215 a year
Median of 10 Bakersfield ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 509 policies in force · 27 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 10 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 1.1% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- Kern County, CA: expected yearly losses rated relatively high for earthquake, wildfire, inland flooding, heat wave.
Other ratings for Kern County, CA
- TornadoVery Low
- Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
- HailRelatively Low
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Bakersfield
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Zoning change
2026 ADU rules clarify combinations and JADU occupancy
The HCD March 2026 handbook explains combining converted, junior and detached ADUs. A JADU with its own bathroom no longer requires owner-occupancy; shared-bathroom JADUs do. These are conditional rights, not permit guarantees.
California HCD, ADU Handbook (Gov. Code §§66314, 66323, 66333) (opens in a new tab) - Zoning change
Pre-approved ADU plans get a statewide review pathway
AB1332 required local ADU pre-approval programs by this date. A pre-approved plan still needs site-specific checks, utilities and a building permit.
California HCD, ADU Handbook (Gov. Code §§66314, 66323, 66333) (opens in a new tab)
Rules in California
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) plus Natural Hazard Disclosure You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: a required disclosure delivered after the offer is signed: 5 days if e-delivered or mailed, 3 days if handed over in person.
- Closing taxesRule
- Kern County documentary transfer tax: 0.11% of the price · seller pays
How buying works in California
- Who runs the closing
- An escrow company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 30 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
C.A.R. California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (RPA)
- Buyer agreement
- C.A.R. Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation Agreement, signed before touring.
Details
State law: signed as soon as practicable and no later than the buyer's offer, 3 months at most, no automatic renewal (Civil Code 1670.50). NAR's 2024 rule moves it before the first tour.
Source: Cal. Civil Code §1670.50 (AB 2992) buyer-broker agreements (effective 2025-01-01, retrieved 2026-09-27)
- Inspection
- About 17 days for inspections.
Details
RPA default investigation contingency: 17 days; removed in writing (C.A.R. form CR).
- Earnest money
- 1–3% of the price, due within 3 business days, held by: Escrow holder.
Details
RPA ¶3D(1): delivered within 3 business days after acceptance, usually by wire. Typical % is a sample.
- Seller's disclosure
- Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) plus Natural Hazard Disclosure You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: a required disclosure delivered after the offer is signed: 5 days if e-delivered or mailed, 3 days if handed over in person.
Details
Civil Code 1102.3: the buyer may terminate by written notice; most disclosures now arrive electronically.
Source: Cal. Civil Code §1102.3 late-disclosure termination right (retrieved 2026-09-27)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: 17 days (set in the contract).
Details
RPA defaults: loan and appraisal contingencies 17 days each. The 2026 RPA adds an optional appraisal-gap clause: the buyer covers a stated shortfall before the contingency applies.
- Title insurance
- Who pays for the owner's policy varies; the contract decides.
Details
Custom by county: seller pays in Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Kern, Sacramento and Santa Clara; buyer pays in Alameda and San Francisco (Old Republic Title chart, secondary).
- Property tax for a new owner
- Proposition 13: you're assessed at the purchase price, then at most 2% more a year. About 1.2% of the price a year is our planning figure for Bakersfield; your bill can differ.
Details
Prop 13: the sale resets the assessed value to the price; 1% base rate plus voter-approved debt (about 1.15–1.3% in the covered cities), then at most 2% growth a year. A supplemental bill follows closing; parcel taxes and Mello-Roos are extra.
Prop 13: the purchase price becomes the assessed value. Bakersfield tax rate area 001-001, FY 2025-26: 1.163785%. Flat parcel taxes, direct assessments and Mello-Roos (common in newer subdivisions) are extra and not included.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- California allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
Legal when disclosed to the seller and the lender and paid through escrow (DRE Reference Book ch. 10).
Source: California DRE Reference Book, ch. 10 (Agency): rebates to the buyer must be disclosed (retrieved 2026-09-27)
Some of these facts rest on secondary sources (a law firm, title company or reference site, not the law or the form itself): C.A.R. RPA defaults: 17-day contingencies, deposit in 3 business days (secondary: Greiner Law); June 2026 C.A.R. form changes incl. RPA appraisal-gap option (secondary); Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs (who pays, by county; secondary); Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary).
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Kern County documentary transfer tax | Seller | 0.11% of the priceOld Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary) |
Sources (12)
- C.A.R. RPA defaults: 17-day contingencies, deposit in 3 business days (secondary: Greiner Law) · 2025 guide (opens in a new tab)
- June 2026 C.A.R. form changes incl. RPA appraisal-gap option (secondary) · 2026-07-08 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Civil Code §1670.50 (AB 2992) buyer-broker agreements · effective 2025-01-01, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Civil Code §1102.3 late-disclosure termination right · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Government Code §6700 state holidays (as amended by AB 2156, 2026) · effective 2026-03-26, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- California DRE Reference Book, ch. 10 (Agency): rebates to the buyer must be disclosed · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs (who pays, by county; secondary) · 11/2023 (opens in a new tab)
- County of Kern, tax rates and assessed valuations 2025-26 · FY 2025-26 (opens in a new tab)
- Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary) · 11/2023 (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owner's Insurance Report: Data for 2023 (Tables 4–5; Homiy cites a few derived state figures) · 2023 data, published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS 2025: average contract price per sq ft of new contractor-built houses (excludes lot), by region · 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits, county file · 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Bakersfield, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- MyHome Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) (California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA))A deferred-payment loan for the down payment or closing costs: up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value (whichever is less) with a CalHFA FHA loan, or 3% with a CalHFA conventional loan.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.California's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Bakersfield
- We found no city or county down-payment program for Bakersfield. Where we looked: City of Bakersfield and Kern County government sites and web searches, which found nonprofit and lender programs but no city or county program page.Checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Homeowners' Exemption (opens in a new tab) (California State Board of Equalization)A $7,000 reduction in the taxable value of a home that was the owner's principal residence on January 1; file once with the county assessor (form BOE-266).Deadline: February 15, for the full exemption that yearOfficial page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- Assessment Appeals Filing Deadlines (opens in a new tab) (Kern County Clerk of the Board)Change-of-ownership and new-construction (supplemental) assessments can be appealed within 60 days of the date on the supplemental notice or bill.When: regular appeals in the yearly filing period (July 1–December 1 in 2025)Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- We found no county alert service for documents recorded on your home. Where we looked: Kern County Recorder home page links and web searches; California requires every county to start a recorder notification program by January 1, 2027 (SB 255).Checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Bakersfield, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (32)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Bakersfield-Delano, CA (metro area 12540) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Bakersfield-Delano, CA (metro area 12540) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Bakersfield-Delano, CA (metro area 12540), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU06125400000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Bakersfield, CA (Census place 0603526): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for Kern County, CA · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- C.A.R. RPA defaults: 17-day contingencies, deposit in 3 business days (secondary: Greiner Law) · 2025 guide (opens in a new tab)
- June 2026 C.A.R. form changes incl. RPA appraisal-gap option (secondary) · 2026-07-08 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Civil Code §1670.50 (AB 2992) buyer-broker agreements · effective 2025-01-01, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Civil Code §1102.3 late-disclosure termination right · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Government Code §6700 state holidays (as amended by AB 2156, 2026) · effective 2026-03-26, retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- California DRE Reference Book, ch. 10 (Agency): rebates to the buyer must be disclosed · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs (who pays, by county; secondary) · 11/2023 (opens in a new tab)
- County of Kern, tax rates and assessed valuations 2025-26 · FY 2025-26 (opens in a new tab)
- Old Republic Title, Guide to California closing costs: who pays, county and city transfer taxes (secondary) · 11/2023 (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owner's Insurance Report: Data for 2023 (Tables 4–5; Homiy cites a few derived state figures) · 2023 data, published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS 2025: average contract price per sq ft of new contractor-built houses (excludes lot), by region · 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits, county file · 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)