Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allen, TX
VS
Bakersfield, CA
🏆 Allen leads 12 of 23 categories
Allen
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,259 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
28 ✓ Safer
Population
105,444
Bakersfield
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$73,827
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
404,321 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allen, TX
Pros
81% less violent crime than Bakersfield
Households earn $47,432 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 55.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (106.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,747/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $390,200
Bakersfield, CA
Pros
Rent averages $464/mo less ($1,283 vs $1,747)
Homes cost $70k less ($320,600 vs $390,200)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Allen by $47,432/yr
Violent crime (554.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2469.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.1% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Allen
Median Income
$47,432
$121,259 vs $73,827/yr
Allen
Violent Crime
81% lower
106.4 vs 554.6 per 100k
Allen
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.1% unemployment
Bakersfield
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.2 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Bakersfield
Median Home Value
$70k less
$320,600 vs $390,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allen, TX | Bakersfield, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 102.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $390,200⚠ High | $320,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,747⚠ High | $1,283 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,259 ✓ Higher | $73,827 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.4% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 28 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.2% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.8% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALLEN ISD | Bakersfield City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.5°F | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.0°F | 97.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,444 | 404,321 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 31.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 60.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | 29.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 10.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allen's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Bakersfield's 102.2 (US average = 100).
Bakersfield is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Allen leads 12 of 23 categories. Allen wins 12 and Bakersfield wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Allen to Bakersfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($390,200 vs $320,600 median home), income ($121,259 vs $73,827), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allen, TX and Bakersfield, CA are about 1,284 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.