A small community next to California State University, Bakersfield
CSU Bakersfield is a small community of single-family homes, condos and apartments that neighbor California State University, Bakersfield. This public university of more than 9,000 students draws both renters and full-time residents to the neighborhood’s residential areas. “Cal State is pretty subdued. There’s not a big party culture or a lot of students who live on campus,” says William Gordon, who’s sold homes here since 2007 and is the team lead of the Gordon Team at Watson Realty. “A lot live off campus, so this neighborhood provides housing for them, as well as families with kids and retired folks who want to be in southwest Bakersfield, but don’t want to pay high prices.” Proximity to the Marketplace shopping center, The Park at River Walk and the Westside Parkway, which leads 6 miles to downtown Bakersfield, expands the neighborhood’s appeal beyond students and faculty.
Familiar retail and restaurants at The Marketplace
The Marketplace, set in the neighborhood’s south, is a popular shopping area with national retailers like Ulta Beauty and Talbots. Here, Mama Tosca’s has been the area’s go-to for fine Italian dining since 1982, and Tahoe Joe’s is a popular steakhouse chain with a rustic atmosphere. The Town and Country Village Shopping Center offers more casual dining options, like Sultans Mediterranean Grill, a counter-service spot for shawarma and souvlaki. Both shopping areas have familiar chains like Starbucks and Cold Stone Creamery, as well as grocery stores that include Albertsons, Trader Joe’s and Vons.
A CSU Bakersfield resident can get everything on her grocery list at Albertsons.
A CSU Bakersfield couple pick up their order at the nearby Sultans Mediterranean Grill.
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Picnics at The Park at River Walk
The 30-mile Kern River Parkway Trail is a paved multi-use path in the neighborhood’s north that leads to other area parks and downtown Bakersfield. Locals can take it to the 32-acre Park at River Walk, a popular greenspace where anglers can cast a line in the two fishing lakes, and families can enjoy a picnic while watching the ducks. At the nearly 9-acre Haggin Oaks Park to the south, there's a playground and tennis court. On hot summer days, Regal Edwards Bakersfield in The Marketplace shopping center offers air conditioning and the latest blockbuster movies.
A Bakersfield fisherman keeps an eye on his competition at The Park at River Walk.
CSU Bakersfield residents can enjoy a movie at their local Edwards Cinema.
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Spanish-style houses with HOA-covered maintenance
The Vineyards is one of the residential subdivisions that sit in the neighborhood’s east. “They’re all Spanish-style homes, so it has a very uniform look and feel,” Gordon says. The homes sit close together along sidewalk-lined cul-de-sacs, with front yards large enough for a paved two-car driveway and manicured lawn with an ornamental palm tree. These homes were built in the 1980s and ‘90s, with layouts between 1,500 and 2,500 square feet. Prices typically range from $400,000 to $500,000, depending on updates, plus monthly homeowners association fees between $100 and $125. Gordon says that the HOA fees cover shared amenities like a community pool, as well as exterior maintenance, which is uncommon in a community of detached single-family homes.
The Shores is a condo community surrounding a lake in the neighborhood’s north. Built in the 1980s, these two-bedroom units are in single-level shed-style complexes, and some units overlook the centrally located lake. Layouts range from 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, and prices can range from $300,000 to $375,000, plus monthly HOA fees between $330 and $360 that cover community amenities and maintenance. Low-rise rental apartments are also available in the neighborhood’s north and south.
The Spanish style homes of CSU Bakersfield have moderately sized lawns.
A small Spanish style home in CSU Bakersfield displays colorful drought-tolerant plants in their yard.
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Elective courses at Bakersfield High
Local kids can start school at Stockdale Elementary, which earns a B from Niche, and then attend the C-plus-rated O.J. Actis Junior High. Bakersfield High earns a B-plus and is located 6 miles away near downtown; the school offers the most electives of any school in the Kern High School District, including courses in aerospace, floral design and kinesiology. Nearby private schools include the A-rated Bakersfield Christian High.
O. J. Actis Junior High School in Bakersfield is a space where students can learn and thrive.
Parents wait to pick their kids up after class at Bakersfield High School.
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A rare walkable Bakersfield neighborhood
“In Bakersfield, we don’t have a ton of walkability, but this is a very walkable neighborhood,” Gordon says. Sidewalks connect residents to the university and to the stores and restaurants along Ming Avenue and Stockdale Highway. Bike lanes and the Golden Empire Transit bus offer other ways to get around. For those with cars, the Westside Parkway is around a mile north and leads roughly 6 miles east to downtown Bakersfield. Dignity Health’s Mercy Hospital Southwest is in the northwest, and Meadows Field Airport is a roughly 11-mile trip.
CSUB Roadrunners basketball at the Icardo Center
The university holds regular events on campus that are open to the public, like musical and theatrical performances at the Doré Theatre and basketball games at the Icardo Center. The school’s NCAA Division I athletics teams compete in the Big West Conference and draw crowds of both students and non-students to cheer on the CSUB Roadrunners. The Park at River Walk is another community gathering place, hosting city-wide events like the Independence Day celebration each year, which includes a fireworks show, food trucks and live music.
Bakersfield air pollution
“Pollution is probably the only negative thing I can say about Bakersfield,” says Judy Miller, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Preferred Realtors who’s sold homes here for 26 years. Bakersfield is ranked by the American Lung Association as having the highest annual particle pollution in the United States. This is largely due to the bowl created by the surrounding mountain ranges, which traps other cities’ air pollution over Bakersfield. “If it’s a bad air day, it’s publicized and people with lung issues just stay inside,” Miller says. “For people without lung issues, it’s no big deal.” The IQAir AirVisual App can help locals monitor air quality.
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Located at Kroll Way and Gosford, just one mile from CSUB and The Marketplace, you'll love being close to dining, shopping, and entertainment--bike or stroll your way to all the essentials! This inviting 4-bedroom home has seen major upgrades in the last three years, including a remodeled kitchen with a large center island and open-concept layout, a fully renovated primary bathroom with a
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
2,218
Median Age
31
Population Density
3 ppl/acre
Population under 18
20.4%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
11%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$67,308
Below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$82,236
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
97.9%
Above the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
50.3%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
18.4%
% Population in Labor Force
67.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
6''
Average Winter Low Temperature
40°F
Average Summer High Temperature
98°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
68/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
28/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
38/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
