Is Bakersfield cheaper than St Paul?

No. St Paul is cheaper: typical rent is $1,232 a month versus $1,483 in Bakersfield — 17% lower. Median household income is $73,827 in Bakersfield compared with $72,400 in St Paul, so Bakersfield has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Bakersfield or St Paul?

St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 122 in Bakersfield — 36% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Bakersfield or St Paul?

School composites are close: A- in Bakersfield and A- in St Paul. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Bakersfield, CA vs St Paul, MN

Bakersfield, CA versus St Paul, MN is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,483 a month in Bakersfield and $1,232 in St Paul, and median household income lands at $73,827 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Bakersfield takes job market and weather, while St Paul takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where St Paul leads by 36% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Bakersfield can feel further apart than Bakersfield and St Paul do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Bakersfield and St Paul reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Bakersfield report Full St Paul report

Bakersfield, CA

Rent: $1,483/mo
Median income: $73,827
Crime index: 122
Schools: A-
Weather: 89°F

St Paul, MN

Rent: $1,232/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 78
Schools: A-
Weather: —

Rent

17% cheaper

St Paul rent is 17% cheaper than Bakersfield

Bakersfield

$1,483/mo

St Paul

Winner

$1,232/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,232 a month in St Paul versus $1,483 in Bakersfield, so St Paul is 17% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,012 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. St Paul still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Bakersfield.

Median income

2% higher

Bakersfield's median income is 2% higher than St Paul

Bakersfield

Winner

$73,827

St Paul

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $73,827 in Bakersfield versus $72,400 in St Paul, so typical pay runs 2% higher in Bakersfield — about $1,427 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

36% lower crime

St Paul's crime index is 36% lower than Bakersfield

Bakersfield

122 (100 = avg)

St Paul

Winner

78 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

St Paul's crime index is 78 versus 122 in Bakersfield (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 36% lower in St Paul. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, St Paul is the easier city. Bakersfield can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Bakersfield and St Paul are about even on school scores.

Bakersfield

A- · 84/100

St Paul

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Bakersfield, A- in St Paul). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

2% more comfortable

Bakersfield weather is 2% more comfortable than St Paul

Bakersfield

Winner

89°F typical

St Paul

Comfort 52/100

What this means for your life

Bakersfield scores 2% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Bakersfield reads as hot, long summers; St Paul reads as a mixed climate. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want St Paul's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Bakersfield is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Bakersfield

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 2% higher ($73,827), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 89°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Bakersfield report →

Fit check

Who should choose St Paul

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

St Paul is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 17% cheaper here at about $1,232 a month. Choose St Paul if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

St Paul is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 36% lower than Bakersfield (78 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the St Paul report →

Bottom line

Bakersfield vs St Paul, called

If safety is your priority, St Paul is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Bakersfield pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, St Paul offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Bakersfield vs St Paul FAQ

Is Bakersfield cheaper than St Paul?: No. St Paul is cheaper: typical rent is $1,232 a month versus $1,483 in Bakersfield — 17% lower. Median household income is $73,827 in Bakersfield compared with $72,400 in St Paul, so Bakersfield has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Bakersfield or St Paul?: St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 122 in Bakersfield — 36% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Bakersfield or St Paul?: School composites are close: A- in Bakersfield and A- in St Paul. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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