Quick facts
Bakersfield overview
Bakersfield (orange) and the other large cities of United States
Bakersfield lies in California in United States at 35.37°N, 119.02°W, about 123 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Los_Angeles (UTC-7); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Arlington (388,125) and larger than Cleveland (365,379). The largest city in United States is New York City with 8,804,190 people; the capital, Washington, has 689,545.
The national capital, Washington, is about 3,709 km away; the nearest large city is Visalia, 109 km from Bakersfield.
United States as a whole has a live population of 349,544,454 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #3 of 238 countries — see the United States population page for the full statistics and the United States atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bakersfield
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Visalia California | 109 km | 130,104 |
| Valencia California | 110 km | 148,456 |
| Lancaster California | 110 km | 161,103 |
| Santa Clarita California | 117 km | 182,371 |
| Palmdale California | 121 km | 158,351 |
| Simi Valley California | 125 km | 126,788 |
| Oxnard California | 132 km | 207,254 |
| Thousand Oaks California | 135 km | 129,339 |
Largest cities in United States
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | New York | 8,804,190 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | California | 3,820,914 |
| 3 | Chicago | Illinois | 2,664,452 |
| 4 | Houston | Texas | 2,314,157 |
| 5 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,650,070 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1,573,916 |
| 7 | San Antonio | Texas | 1,526,656 |
| 8 | San Diego | California | 1,404,452 |
| 9 | Dallas | Texas | 1,326,087 |
| 10 | Jacksonville | Florida | 1,009,833 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bakersfield?
Bakersfield has about 373,640 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bakersfield the capital of United States?
No. The capital of United States is Washington (689,545 people), about 3,709 km away. Bakersfield is the 51st largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Bakersfield compared with the rest of United States?
Its 373,640 residents are 0.1% of the 349,544,454 people living in United States today. New York City is larger with 8,804,190 people.
Where is Bakersfield?
In California, United States, at latitude 35.37 and longitude -119.02, 123 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Visalia (109 km), Valencia (110 km), Lancaster (110 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bakersfield Population 2026 — United States. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/bakersfield/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-states/bakersfield/">Bakersfield Population 2026 — United States</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.