East Bakersfield, California Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

East Bakersfield is a small city located in California, within Kern County. The total population is 11,062. It ranks as the 470th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in East Bakersfield is 26.6 years. This is 30% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 37.4% of the population under 18, East Bakersfield has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in East Bakersfield is $38,644. This is 61% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 52% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 42.6%. This is 255% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 13.0%. This is 97% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $208,700. Housing costs are 72% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 18.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 67% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in East Bakersfield is Hispanic or Latino, making up 82.7% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 12.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (12.8%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (82.7% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

4.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 89% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 48.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for East Bakersfield, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.