Health Profile of Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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B
Bakersfield Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Bakersfield | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.8% | 6.6% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 20.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Bakersfield is 76.8 years, about 2.9 years shorter than the California average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 7.8%, higher than the California average of 6.6%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 20.2% of residents, higher than the California average of 16.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
102,527 residents in Bakersfield are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 4,859 1,732 men · 3,127 women
- 75–84 11,793 4,906 men · 6,888 women
- 65–74 23,516 10,733 men · 12,784 women
- 50–64 62,358 29,875 men · 32,483 women
Younger residents
114,320 residents in Bakersfield are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 34,405 17,639 boys · 16,766 girls
- 7–12 34,212 17,432 boys · 16,780 girls
- 3–7 26,473 13,556 boys · 12,916 girls
- 0–3 19,230 9,901 boys · 9,329 girls
About 14,229 residents in Bakersfield (3.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Bakersfield | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 11.2% | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.1% | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.9% | 6.4% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 34.1% | 30.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Bakersfield is about 19% lower than in California.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Bakersfield | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15.4% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 17.3% | 18.0% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 26.5% | 21.9% | 25.1% |
The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Bakersfield is about 21% higher than in California.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 436,431 cigarettes a day, 13.1 million a month, or 159.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.8 million minutes a day and 1.8 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bakersfield is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.12 lifetimes a day, or 43 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Bakersfield | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 11.91 | 7.63 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 11.9 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Bakersfield is moderate — acceptable air quality, though unusually sensitive individuals may notice effects.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Bakersfield, California has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with California, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Bakersfield, California.
What is the health grade for Bakersfield, California?
Bakersfield, California has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Bakersfield, California?
People in Bakersfield, California can expect to live 76.8 years on average, 2.9 years shorter than the California average of 79.6.
What is the uninsured rate in Bakersfield, California?
7.8% of residents in Bakersfield, California have no health insurance, about 1 in 13 people, 1.2 points above the California rate of 6.6%.
How common is obesity in Bakersfield, California?
34.1% of adults in Bakersfield, California are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 3.5 points above the California rate of 30.6%.
What health issue is more common in Bakersfield, California than elsewhere?
Compared with California as a whole, physical inactivity stands out most: the adult rate here is 26.5%, about 21% higher than the California rate of 21.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Bakersfield, California go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 436,431 cigarettes a day, 13.1 million a month, or 159.3 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 4.8 million minutes a day and 1.8 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Bakersfield is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.12 lifetimes a day, or 43 lifetimes a year.
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