What are the best areas of Bakersfield?

[Shy]

Hope I don't offend anyone, but I hate Bakersfield, its just yucky in most parts. The air quality is gross and there are little hoodlums everywhere. However we have to live here for my husbands job so I need to learn to make the best of it.
Can anyone tell me the best, safest area to live in Bakersfield?
We are looking to rent a house, don't want to pay more than 1300 a month, we need an area with good schools ( well the best Bakersfield has).
Thanks everyone in advance for your input.

[notfromBako]

Not offended...I completely agree and landed here for the same reason. I've been trying to make the best of it for 6 months, but it only gets harder. Anyway, the Seven Oaks area in the SW is safe and has the best schools. Not sure if you'll be able to find a rental at that price, but it's certainly possible with all of the desperate homeowners who can't sell.

[Kristine W]

on that budget you would seriously be lucky if you landed a good home in the 08....

In the mail today i got the newsletter from West High about the STAR testing the kids take at the end of spring...The schools with the lowest scores were Foothill and East and both schools did not meet the graduation rate for 07! Stockdale was the Highest scoring school along with Liberty and Centenial.

I dont know if that helps, but I would 'assume' that with higher grades and less dropouts the neighborhoods might just be a tad bit better!

We live in an apartment by West and Actis. Its fairly safe, but a home around here would run a good 1700 a month, and that might be w/o a pool! It is getting harder and harder for the normal working family to find a home they can afford here, and I am still trying to figure out why? Its not like we have nice fresh air, clear skys, and the beautiful aroma of roses and flowers...nope we have smoggy foggy cow poop air. bleh!

[Alicia]

I'm also moving to California soon, I thought about this city for its location, but I guess is hard to get some information from anyone who has been born and raised in this place. So far I've gotten only negative comments about this city.

[Jack]

Hello... I've been here for 40 years + and have watched this city go to hell. It has never had any good schools. Its a free for all at every one of them. Crime is every where and never going to change. Hoodlums roam the streets all over the city all day and all night. Every morning watch the news and see how many murderers there were last night. If you ever need help...Forget it... The police only show up when its time to put down the chalk marks around bodies. Crime is job security for thousands and thousands so theres no intentions to stop it. Look up Megans Law on the web and just see how many High risk sex offenders there are in your zip code. This entire nation is headed full throttle right down the shitter so good luck finding anywhere to live...

[Tribulation]

Judgment is coming upon America because the people have turned their back on the One True God and His Christ Jesus.

Repent and turn back to God in Christ while you still can.

There will be no pre-tribulation rapture.

That feel good doctrine was created to keep those 10 per-centers in their seats.

And the true church are the people, NOT a building.

We are heading right into The Great 7 Year Tribulation spoken of in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Holy Bible.

[Felice]

Alicia wrote:

I'm also moving to California soon, I thought about this city for its location, but I guess is hard to get some information from anyone who has been born and raised in this place. So far I've gotten only negative comments about this city.

I am also from Brooklyn, Coney Island to be exact. From Coney I moved to Gardena, then Hollywood, then El Monte where I married and lived for 38 years. I moved to Bakersfield the end of 2001 and I really like it here. I have met so many wonderful people, can get to work in about 10 minutes, am close to Ca. distinguished schools for my grandchildren and can park right next to the Rabobank Arena, Fox Theatre, or any one of a dozen showplaces. I am a Realtor and would love to talk to you further about Bakersfield. Email me at [e-mail]

[Nisse]

Felice wrote:

<quoted text>
I am also from Brooklyn, Coney Island to be exact. From Coney I moved to Gardena, then Hollywood, then El Monte where I married and lived for 38 years. I moved to Bakersfield the end of 2001 and I really like it here. I have met so many wonderful people, can get to work in about 10 minutes, am close to Ca. distinguished schools for my grandchildren and can park right next to the Rabobank Arena, Fox Theatre, or any one of a dozen showplaces. I am a Realtor and would love to talk to you further about Bakersfield. Email me at [e-mail]

Wow, nice try..

[Clash]

There is nothing good about Bakersfield except for the short commute to work.

Crime is everywhere. I live in an apt complext in the NW area of Bakersfield where it's supposed to be "nice." My car got broken into yesterday.

I am looking to GTFO of Bakersfield ASAP.

[J in CO]

I feel like most people here are exaggerating about how horrible Bfield is. I lived there for over 10 years and met some of the kindess people ever! I agree about the air-quality and that some of the areas aren't exactly aesthetically pleasing, but the cost-of-living is good (although $1300 a month isn't going to get you what you sound like you want just about any where in CA). I doubt the crime rate is horribly higher than other areas either. We always lived in the NW. One, it is newer and cleaner than the SW and NE and two, the Norris School District is awesome. Also, where are these "hoodlums" you mentioned? Regardless of the city you live in you always get that but I can tell you that I taught high school in the NW and most of my teenage students would give you the shirt off their backs if you needed it!! Give the place a chance, get out and met some people (a lot of great churches there too), and you may be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and don't forget how close you are to the beach, mountains, outlet shopping, etc. Who said you needed to spend ALL your time right there - go explore the areas around the city. And if you are still real unhappy with the place, imagine if you had to live in Ridgecrest, Boron, Fresno, etc.!!! Good Luck!

[sonia]

i also think you should give bakersfield a chance. i just moved up here in november, same thing my husband got a job here. we are from san diego, i had lived there all my life. ill be honest i have never had a panic attack until i came here. everyone i talked to blames my anxiety on bakersfield but i have realized that you create the environment where you want to live. you can be miserable wherever you live or you can be happy wherever you live. i am choosing to be happy. i just need to find some friends here cause im feeling a little lonely.
also, one of my daughter's is 6 years old and she is mildly autistic. i dont like her new school and they have awful scores but that just means that i need to work a little harder to help her. im hoping that we find a house in a good neighborhood in a couple months and she's lucky enough to get a good teacher but for now its all up to me. think positive.

[Karilas]

sonia wrote:

...i am choosing to be happy. i just need to find some friends here cause im feeling a little lonely...
...also, one of my daughter's is 6 years old and she is mildly autistic. i dont like her new school and they have awful scores but that just means that i need to work a little harder to help her. im hoping that we find a house in a good neighborhood in a couple months and she's lucky enough to get a good teacher but for now its all up to me. think positive.

Wow, you see with that attitude you can make the best of it anywhere, you sound like an awesome person.

Unfortunately nothing you said makes Bakersfield any more appealing, then again, I ended up in this forum because I was trying to find out why Fat Mike hates Bakersfield so much. Looks like I know now!

Ah the joys of distractions...

[bob mazaratti]

no one from the UK shold make a negative comment about Bakersfield. Any place with sun and good food makes it better than whatever part of the UK you live in.... Hey how is putting all the muslims on one part of town working out?

[shan]

Well my husbands job is taking us to Bakersfield CA and I would love to know what neighborhoods are the best. I have 2 children one will be in elementary school and the other in middle school. We have moved all over the place and hopefully this will be the last move. I just want a nice safe area for my children and us to be happy in! pls help

[Jess]

sonia wrote:

i also think you should give bakersfield a chance. i just moved up here in november, same thing my husband got a job here. we are from san diego, i had lived there all my life. ill be honest i have never had a panic attack until i came here. everyone i talked to blames my anxiety on bakersfield but i have realized that you create the environment where you want to live. you can be miserable wherever you live or you can be happy wherever you live. i am choosing to be happy. i just need to find some friends here cause im feeling a little lonely.
also, one of my daughter's is 6 years old and she is mildly autistic. i dont like her new school and they have awful scores but that just means that i need to work a little harder to help her. im hoping that we find a house in a good neighborhood in a couple months and she's lucky enough to get a good teacher but for now its all up to me. think positive.

I moved here from Mission Viejo about two years ago, I was 17 and My husband 19. My husband also had a job offer here in bakersfield , so we packed up and moved. The number one thing that this city lacks is probably the cause of the crime here in Bakersfield. The delayed responce of the police is a huge problem that needs to be addressed. I have called the police twice and have been very unsatisfied to say the least. We reside in the SW but are looking for a house in the NW.We have chosen the NW becasue of the lower crime , clean area, and good schools. And yes, you do make your own environment a happy or miserable place to be. I do miss my friends and extended family and get lonely at times... but we are able to provide for our son ten times better then if we had stayed in Mission Viejo.

[Shan]

Jess wrote:

<quoted text>
I moved here from Mission Viejo about two years ago, I was 17 and My husband 19. My husband also had a job offer here in bakersfield , so we packed up and moved. The number one thing that this city lacks is probably the cause of the crime here in Bakersfield. The delayed responce of the police is a huge problem that needs to be addressed. I have called the police twice and have been very unsatisfied to say the least. We reside in the SW but are looking for a house in the NW.We have chosen the NW becasue of the lower crime , clean area, and good schools. And yes, you do make your own environment a happy or miserable place to be. I do miss my friends and extended family and get lonely at times... but we are able to provide for our son ten times better then if we had stayed in Mission Viejo.

So when you say NW do you mean Rosedale or Stockdale or where? We are coming from MI so I have no idea about the area at all.

[bewildered]

You can always pick out the negative about anything if that's the way you want to be. I don't know if you need good schools, but the 1300 rent will probably be difficult. Look on the west side. If you're not looking at schools you might find something for that in Silvercreek (SW). I know there has been a huge exodus to the northwest, but I've lived in the far SW (west of Gosford) for the last 14 years. Rosedale is the NW. Stockdale would be in the SW.

We've been raising our kids here and have found the schools to be great. There is also a great sense of community here. We run into people we know everywhere we go. 2 of our 3 kids were born here and while we haven't had any medical issues I am glad that LA isn't far for anything serious. My son is 17 and his friends are smart and articulate and looking at some of the best schools for college. Good Luck.

[Mike]

Anywhere in the SW has the best schools Panama School District has very good schools. And actually because of the housing crunch home owners renting are in the $1,300 and even below. They are willing to work with people

[Carrie]

We've lived in Bakersfield for 1 year now (transferred here due to husband's job) and are making the best of it for the next few years. We will definitely not stay here forever. I agree with comments about the air quality and 1/2 the town is not worth visiting, but the NW and SW portions of Bakersfield are pretty nice. There are some really great people here, and that makes a huge difference. And it's true that we are near a lot of really fun things, like theme parks, the Pacific, the mountains, outlet shopping, etc.

If I had it to do over again, I would buy a home in a gated community. Coming from TX, my husband and I didn't understand the purpose of a gated area, but now that we've lived here a little while we get it. There are lots of little hoodlums with spray cans. I like the Seven Oaks area, but doubt you'll find anything there in that price range. You might end up increasing your monthly housing budget like we did when we moved here. As for schools, I hear great things about Ronald Reagan Elem and Buena Vista Elem (where my child goes to school) and Stockdale High. We've been relatively happy with the schools so far, although California schools are not the greatest to begin with. Even so, the teachers have been great and all our interactions have been positive.

[JRT]

If your kids are younger, I would HIGHLY recommend you look somewhere in the Norris School District. The highest rated elementary school, or any school for that matter, in Bakersfield last year was Olive Dr. Elem. It was the only school in the county to score a perfect 10/10 according to the states STAR testing. But I believe all the schools in this district rated 8/10 or higher. This district is located in the NW. The neighborhoods range from older homes, built in the 60's, 70's and 80's, to brand new homes being built today. You will find track home neighborhoods, as well as custom homes. It is a very nice place to live. I chose to move here almost 7 years ago, and I chose this area because of the schools in this district, Olive Dr. is amazing!! I would highly recommend this area as one to look into if your moving to Bakersfield. I don't know how much the rent would be for that area, but with the housing market being what it is, you may be able to find something close to your budget. As for all the people who are down playing Bakersfield, I don't know what to say, that's their opinion I guess. We, on the other hand, love it here and feel very fortunate to have found a great home, in a great neighborhood, in a great school district, with great people around us. Just be grateful you don't have to move to Stockton.