If you’re anticipating a move to Bakersfield, CA, it pays to do quite a bit of research.
Especially with all manners of websites, online resources, and even online communities available, you can find out a lot about any neighborhood (such as Bakersfield, in this case). This is especially true with real feedback from real residents sharing information that goes beyond the usual reference books, news articles, and PR fluff pieces.
So if you’re considering moving to Bakersfield soon, here are some of the best sites we can recommend would include:
- Message Boards and Online Communities
- Quora
- Official Community Websites
- The City of Bakersfield
- Kern County
- The Greater Bakersfield’s Chamber
- Bakersfield Police Department
- Other references and Resources
- U.S. News Real Estate
- Best Places
- AreaVibes
Message Boards and Online Communities
Message boards and online communities are a great place to start. Sites like these feature real questions and real answers, opinions, and reactions from real people.
Quora
Think of Quora as your question-and-answer website where you can ask questions, and folks can answer your questions or post their opinions. Other users can also suggest edits to those submitted answers.
You can also browse through Quora and look for other burning questions other curious minds before you have asked. On the topic of Bakersfield, California specifically, you may browse through the questions on Quora here:
Another message board worth checking out is Reddit. It’s sort of like Quora, except that it allows for more wit/sarcasm/humor and/or anonymity. This way, even as the community of Reddit users vote for the most entertaining or informative answers, you get a good variety of what people really think about given a particular topic or subject matter.
On the topic of Bakersfield, California specifically, you may browse through the conversations and questions on Reddit here:
Facebook is still the most popular social network out there, and it’s not even a question of “is there a Bakersfield community on Facebook”, but rather “what kind of Bakersfield communities are there on Facebook?”
These communities congregate around Pages of particular interest, such as buying/selling/trading, pets, or business owners, among others. Usually, the local government also has its own dedicated page where you can look for answers and other questions you were thinking of asking for yourself.
Official Community Websites
The City of Bakersfield
The official City of Bakersfield website has a lot of content. Whether you’re a resident, a business owner, or just looking to visit, the site endeavors to answer some of the more frequently-asked questions while also promoting community events and other city-wide programs.
The official City of Bakersfield website.
Kern County
Bakersfield, CA is part of Kern County. You may want to check out this site for additional reading on what’s going on in and around your part of town in Bakersfield.
The official Kern County website.
The Greater Bakersfield’s Chamber
Particularly useful if you’re thinking of moving your business, starting one, or expanding into Bakersfield. Browse through the site for resources and information to see if the trade you want to bring to town meets a growing need or opportunity, or if you may need to reconsider your business plans somehow.
The Greater Bakersfield Chamber website.
The Bakersfield Police Department
For just a little extra research, you might want to have a look at the Bakersfield Police Department website. This way you can have a better idea of local crime stats, community safety figures, as well as find out about available neighborhood watch programs.
Other References and Resources
U.S. News Real Estate
U.S. News has an excellent real estate section that can give you a good idea of what the neighborhood is all about.
You can have a look at the local job market, what sort of options you have in terms of schools, cost of living, weather, public transport, and more.
Bakersfield, CA on U.S. News Real Estate.
Best Places
Similar to U.S. News Real Estate, but with a lot more info including Religion, Economy, Housing States, Politics and Voting, and so much more.
Bakersfield, CA on Best Places.
AreaVibes
This site is on a mission to give users a list of best places to live in America. They do so by assigning a Livability Score to give you an idea of how a particular neighborhood compares with others.
A Final Word on Online Resources on Bakersfield
Moving to a totally new neighborhood can bring you quite a deal of anxiety and stress. Doing your homework certainly allows you to expect a lot of things and make adequate preparations.
There are certainly a lot more useful resources and websites online; we haven’t even explored blogs and other neighborhood-specific websites, as you can also get a good deal of information from these.
Nevertheless, we feel that this list is a good start if you do have your own burning questions on Bakersfield or some specific neighborhood within.
