| Measure | FresnoCalifornia, United States Remove Fresno | BakersfieldCalifornia, United States Remove Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 7.0 | 6.4 |
| Connector Score | 9.2 | 8.7 |
| Safety | 4.1 | 5.4 |
| Affordability | 6.7 | 4.1 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 7.0 |
| Walkability | 7.8 | 5.2 |
| Things to do | 7.2 | 6.6 |
| Food & dining | 6.4 | 6.1 |
| Places to stay | 7.6 | 6.4 |
| Nature & outdoors | 4.0 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Family friendliness | 6.8 | 5.1 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.2 | 4.9 |
| Nightlife | 6.7 | 5.1 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.5 | 5.6 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 7.3 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $115 | $100 |
| Mid-range | $173 | $150 |
| Luxury | $281 | $248 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 98 | 124 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,390 | $1,300 |
| Median home price | $389,000 | $396,000 |
| Population | 556K | 422K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Train Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Fresno | — | 1 h 45 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel | Car-free travel |
| Known for | National & state parks, Museums & galleries, Nightlife, Family & kids | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Pro sports |
| When to go | Peak: Summer for Yosemite traffic and October… | Peak: Spring and fall event weekends and Kern… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.