Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bakersfield, CA
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Bakersfield leads 16 of 23 categories
Bakersfield
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$73,827 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
404,321 ✓ Larger
Paterson
New Jersey
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,092
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bakersfield, CA
Pros
43% less violent crime than Paterson
Households earn $21,735 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (7.1%)
More college-educated — 23.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Paterson
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 39°F
Cons
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
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 97°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bakersfield by $21,735/yr
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Bakersfield
Key Differences at a Glance
Bakersfield
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.2 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Bakersfield
Median Income
$21,735
$73,827 vs $52,092/yr
Bakersfield
Violent Crime
43% lower
554.6 vs 978.6 per 100k
Bakersfield
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
7.1% vs 10.5% unemployment
Bakersfield
Summer Heat
10.9°F warmer
July avg high 97.4°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bakersfield, CA | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $320,600⚠ High | $314,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,283 ✓ Lower | $1,392⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $73,827 ✓ Higher | $52,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 146⚠ High ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 118⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (73) | C+ (87) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.4:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.3% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bakersfield City | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.1°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.4°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.6" ✓ Drier | 49.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 404,321 ✓ Larger | 157,864 |
| Median Age | 31.5 | 33.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.8% ✓ More | 27.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 11.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bakersfield's cost of living index is 102.2 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Bakersfield is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bakersfield leads 16 of 23 categories. Bakersfield wins 16 and Paterson wins 7. 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 Bakersfield to Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($320,600 vs $314,100 median home), income ($73,827 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bakersfield, CA and Paterson, NJ are about 2,442 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.