Bakersfield, CA Crime Rate 2023: 494.7 per 100,000
Population 403K · 2023 FBI UCR Data · Safety Grade B
Bakersfield, CA has a violent crime rate of 494.7 per 100,000 residents, which is 36% above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate is 1,597 per 100,000, 13% below the national average. Over the past 5 years, crime in Bakersfield has decreased by 12.0%.Bakersfield receives a Safety Context Score of B (67/100) based on 2023 FBI UCR data.
Reading this data in context: Bakersfield's violent crime rate of 494.7 per 100,000 residents is 36% above the national average. Over the past 5 years, the overall crime rate has decreased (-12.0%). Crime data reflects reported incidents and does not capture the full picture of neighborhood safety. All crime statistics are compiled from the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which aggregates data reported by local law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Crime Rate Breakdown (per 100K residents)
All rates per 100,000 residents. National average shown for comparison.
Bakersfield, CA Crime Types Explained
Below is the per-capita breakdown of each FBI-tracked offense in Bakersfield, 2023. Every figure is per 100,000 residents — never a raw count — and includes the national average for comparison.
Robbery in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 89 robbery incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 22% above the national robbery rate of 73 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines robbery as taking property by force or threat of force. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for robbery.
Aggravated Assault in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 336.4 aggravated assault incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 37% above the national aggravated assault rate of 246.4 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines aggravated assault as unlawful attack with intent to inflict severe bodily injury, usually involving a weapon. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for aggravated assault.
Murder in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 9.9 murder incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 74% above the national murder rate of 5.7 per 100,000 — well above the national average. The FBI defines murder as intentional homicide, the most serious violent crime category. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for murder.
Burglary in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 239.5 burglary incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 11% below the national burglary rate of 269.8 per 100,000 — below the national average. The FBI defines burglary as unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for burglary.
Larceny-Theft in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 1,246 larceny-theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 11% below the national larceny-theft rate of 1,402 per 100,000 — below the national average. The FBI defines larceny-theft as the unlawful taking of property without force, threat, or fraud — the most common property crime. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for larceny-theft.
Motor Vehicle Theft in Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield reported 175.6 motor vehicle theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 45% below the national motor vehicle theft rate of 318.3 per 100,000 — below the national average. The FBI defines motor vehicle theft as theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. See how Bakersfield ranks nationally for motor vehicle theft.
5-Year Crime Rate Trend
Per-capita rates per 100,000 residents
Frequently Asked Questions
Bakersfield has a Safety Context Score of B (67/100). The violent crime rate is 494.7 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 363.8. Over the past 5 years, overall crime has decreased (-12.0%).
Bakersfield's violent crime rate is 494.7 per 100,000 residents and property crime rate is 1,597 per 100,000. These are per-capita rates based on FBI UCR data, which provide a more accurate comparison than raw crime counts.
Bakersfield's 5-year crime trend shows a -12.0% change. Crime rates have been decreasing, which is a positive sign. Always look at long-term trends rather than single-year changes.
Bakersfield's violent crime rate of 494.7 per 100K is above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate of 1,597 per 100K is below the national average of 1,832.
Based on 2023 FBI data, Bakersfield earns a Safety Context Score of B (67/100). With below-average crime rates, Bakersfield compares favorably to most US cities. The 5-year trend is improving, which is an important factor for anyone considering relocation. Crime statistics represent city-wide averages and vary significantly by neighborhood.
The most common crime type in Bakersfield is larceny-theft at 1,246 per 100,000 residents. Overall, property crime (1,597/100K) is significantly more common than violent crime (494.7/100K), which is typical for most US cities. Motor vehicle theft is 175.6/100K below the national average of 318.3.
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All crime rates are per 100,000 residents. Safety Context Scores are calculated using per-capita violent crime (40%), per-capita property crime (30%), and 5-year trend direction (30%), all compared to national averages.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. city and county crime rates dataset. The detail above comes directly from the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. cities and counties.
Every number on this page links back to the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. cities and counties. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.