Bakersfield is in the top 5 of the worst cities to live in in CA.
Air is very bad. Very hot.

If you're looking for reasonably priced housing where you can enjoy nature, you could do better. It gets very hot there, but it is a good place to grow watermelons.

Bakersfield is better than Detroit.

lol......
Unfortunately, I think the air is bad in most, if not all, of the San Joaquin Valley now, is it not?

Yes on the hummingbirds. Garber way not in the greats area just an FYI. It does get hot but the air no worst then most of California.

It really depends on what you are looking for on this move to California. If you're looking for clean air, you'll need to stay in a coastal city (the Los Angeles basin is an exeption - although it is coastal, the smog is worse than any part of the central valley.)

If you're considering the valley, there are much better places than Bakersfield. As far as big cities go, Fresno or sacramento are both great. Fresno sits as the door keeper to three national parks (Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks) so it's a prime location for nature enthusiasts. It's about a two hour drive to the coast (San Luis Obispo and Pismo area.) Easy access to ski resorts and surfing. You'll really have to visit the area to get a good feel for it. You may like something on paper but unless you are actually there you may be in for a surprise.

Also, yes on the hummers :) we have them by the dozen at my house year round

Bakersfield ranked as the US's most polluted city in 2012.

Are hummingbirds a huge passion for you? I can't really imagine selecting a place to live based on the presence of a single animal, but I do understand some people have a strong interest.

The nicest most temperate areas of California tend to be the most expensive to live in.

Second that you really need to try living in a place before choosing it as your residence. CA differs wildly from area to area.

The collapse in RE and the US economic difficulties affected some areas much more than others. The recovery has been rapid in the most desirable areas (wealthy counties, desirable cities like San Francisco) but slower or even non-existent in rural or 'commuter counties'.

Rent first, and check things out. Hummers and roses do well just about everywhere in CA except for the highest mountains and the undeveloped deserts.

It is a great place to live IF you find the right spot for yourself. But it is one of the most expensive states as well. For example, we don't talk about how near or how far Point A is to Point B. We phrase it in terms of "okay, it takes 15 minutes on the freeway at non-commute hours, but 45 minutes at rush hour or bad weather."

It does vary widely right now, seller's market currently in SoCal.....

Well, not all that far from Bakersfield is the Antelope Valley. We actually have a winter here (not bad) and at least one species of hummers that stay year round.

I wouldn't live in the central valley for all the money in the world. The coast is a lot more expensive but is far more ideal weather wise and gardening wise. And lots of hummingbirds of course. Pick anywhere you want from south to north but try to stay within 2-10 miles of the ocean.

If you can afford it, try staying in the blue part of California, most but not all got nicer weather and better economy. Real estate are getting very pricey.

Most red California are inland with hotter summer, colder winter and all the accessories that comes with lower income. Real estate are dirt cheap compare to the blue area.

If you are the artsy type, Idyllwild is couple of hours from LA or San Diego, cheap housing and got 4 seasons, but very few jobs.

Buy my place, the hummingbirds insistent, morse code-like chirping annoys me every a.m.! ;) I'm not a morning person though and I generally enjoy watching them speed around the yard otherwise, but that monotone chirp!

Plant sages, trumpet vine, butterfly bush, columbine and a few other plants and they'll show up many places in CA, maybe even move in.

This post was edited by dicot on Thu, Feb 21, 13 at 16:30