Located in Kern County
Hillcrest is a suburban area where homes sit closely together and plenty of retail offerings are just steps away. Right off Exit 6 of California State Route 178 on the east side of Bakersfield, the neighborhood has winding, walkable lanes and is just 6 miles from Bakersfield’s downtown area.
Trees and pockets of front-yard space line the residential streets throughout Hillcrest, where there are primarily ranch-style houses and bungalows. Most houses feature attached garages or covered car ports, with the occasional solar-panel roof. “The homes here are older and more established, and more recently, there have been a lot of families moving into the area,” says Jose Torres, a Realtor at RE/MAX Golden Empire with 5 years of experience in the Bakersfield area. Houses have fenced-in back lots, and residents are just a short walk from East Bakersfield High. Properties typically range in size from 1,100 to 2,000 square feet and in price from $200,000 to around $500,000.
Close to Route 178 on Hillcrest’s north side, there are big-box stores like Target and Walmart, as well as a handful of fast-food eateries. “Hillcrest is a convenient spot near a lot of good shopping and dining on either side of town, and Route 178 connects to 58, which can lead to Interstate 5 or all the way to the coast,” says Torres. Smaller and more local markets and diners can be found along the southern part of town. Downtown Bakersfield is a 6-mile drive from Hillcrest, where residents can take advantage of museums, live entertainment, parks and a large variety of restaurants. Rock & Wings is a neighborhood bar and grill with pub fare ranging from loaded nachos to mango habanero wings and frequent live music nights. Locals can dine on Korean-style cuisine at Flame Broiler or sandwiches and salads at Urbane Café. “Red Pepper Restaurant is also really popular in the northeast part of town, right off the highway,” says Torres. This Mexican eatery has been serving the area for over 25 years, with wooden accents and colorful hanging lights contributing to its relaxed vibe.
On the west side of town is Heritage Park, which offers a skatepark, basketball courts, a playground and green space for daily use and community events. Kern County has plans to revamp the park in the coming years, with proposals including an outdoor amphitheater, a splash pad and exercise equipment. A short drive east is the Bakersfield Country Club, a private golf club with an 18-hole course, event space, a diner and a fitness center.
The Bakersfield City School District and the Kern High School District—which receives a B-plus Niche grade—serve students living in Hillcrest. Students can begin at Horace Mann Elementary School, which receives a C Niche grade. Next, they can move on to the C-minus-rated Emerson Middle School. High schoolers can attend East Bakersfield High School, which earns a B-minus and is within walking distance of the neighborhood’s homes. High schoolers have a variety of career and technical education courses to consider, including manufacturing, virtual enterprise and video production.
California State Route 178 runs along the north of Hillcrest, which conveniently connects to Interstate 5. There are several Golden Empire Transit bus stops on the west side of town, and the Bakersfield train station is just 4 miles away. Also, Meadows Field Airport—commonly referred to as Bakersfield Airport—is 10 miles northwest.
Miguel A. Hernandez
Open Door Real Estate
(661) 370-2820
231 Total Sales
4 in Hillcrest
$295K - $640K Price Range
William Gordon
Watson Realty
(805) 918-8011
574 Total Sales
2 in Hillcrest
$300K - $366K Price Range
Eric Mora
The Mora Partners Inc.
(661) 535-1530
598 Total Sales
7 in Hillcrest
$184K - $325K Price Range
Jared Cope
The Cope Real Estate Team
(661) 218-2696
258 Total Sales
4 in Hillcrest
$85K - $263K Price Range
Laurie McCarty
Coldwell Banker Preferred Realtors
(661) 404-7192
790 Total Sales
5 in Hillcrest
$183K - $305K Price Range
LW
Leslie Walters
Walters & Associates, Inc.
(661) 215-8647
144 Total Sales
1 in Hillcrest
$165,000 Price
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