Home Insurance in Bakersfield, California
The median home value in Bakersfield is $371,700, 10% higher than the Kern County median.
The typical home in Bakersfield was built around 1990. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 12% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points below Kern County's 18%.
In Bakersfield, the housing stock is 75% single-family homes, 13% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 3% mobile or manufactured homes.
72% of owner-occupied homes in Bakersfield carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
About 61% of occupied homes in Bakersfield are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 4%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
60% of homes in Bakersfield are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA rates Kern County's overall risk as Relatively High, led by wildfire (Relatively High). Kern County had 3,205 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Kern County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
The statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in California is $1,655 per year, according to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $371,700 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Owner-occupied share | 61% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 72% |
| Top county hazard | Wildfire (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP policies in Kern County | 3,205 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,655 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)