Median rent is 11% lower in Bakersfield ($1,472/mo vs $1,655/mo). Buying is cheaper in Bakersfield, where the median home runs $371,700 versus $581,500. Households earn more in Portland ($90,919 vs $80,540 a year).
City A
Bakersfield, CA
City B
Portland, OR
How much would you need to earn in Portland, OR to maintain your standard of living from Bakersfield, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Bakersfield
California
Portland
Oregon
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Bakersfield at $1,472/mo compared to $1,655/mo in Portland (11% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Portland: the median home is $581,500 versus $371,700 in Bakersfield — 36% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Bakersfield
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Portland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Portland has cleaner air on average: 26.0 AQI (Good) compared to 57.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Portland if you prioritize higher median household income ($90,919/yr).
Pick Bakersfield if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,472/mo median).
Pick Portland if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 26.0).
Is Bakersfield cheaper than Portland?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Bakersfield vs Portland?
Median rent is $1,472/mo in Bakersfield, CA and $1,655/mo in Portland, OR. Bakersfield, CA has the lower rent by about 11%.
Which has higher salaries — Bakersfield or Portland?
Median household income is $80,540 in Bakersfield, CA and $90,919 in Portland, OR. Portland, OR has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Portland, OR has better air quality on average: 26.0 AQI versus 57.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Bakersfield or Portland?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Portland to match my Bakersfield income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
