City comparison
Yes. Bakersfield's crime index is 148 versus 242 in Orlando, and its violent crime index is 152 versus 241, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Bakersfield and 2022 FBI data for Orlando.
Bakersfield is cheaper. Median rent is $1,472 a month versus $1,747 in Orlando.
Safety is where Bakersfield and Orlando split most clearly. Bakersfield scores 94 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,472 in Bakersfield and $1,747 in Orlando.
Bakersfield is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, and safety by margins that add up in daily life. Orlando makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Bakersfield is the stronger move.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Bakersfield at $1,472 average has pockets that run $1,272 and others at $1,872: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Bakersfield and Orlando are 2,242 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,472 a month in Bakersfield to $1,747 a month in Orlando, up $275 a month (19%).
Median household income goes from $80,540 in Bakersfield to $72,336 in Orlando, down $8,204 (10%).
The crime index goes from 148 in Bakersfield to 242 in Orlando, up 94 points (64%).
The move
Orlando and Bakersfield are 2,242 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,747 a month in Orlando to $1,472 a month in Bakersfield, down $275 a month (16%).
Median household income goes from $72,336 in Orlando to $80,540 in Bakersfield, up $8,204 (11%).
The crime index goes from 242 in Orlando to 148 in Bakersfield, down 94 points (39%).
Bakersfield, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Orlando, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Bakersfield and Orlando? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
16% cheaper
Bakersfield rent is 16% cheaper than Orlando
Bakersfield
Winner$1,472/mo
Orlando
$1,747/mo
Typical rent runs $1,472 a month in Bakersfield versus $1,747 in Orlando, so Bakersfield is 16% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,300, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Bakersfield still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Orlando.
Planning to buy in Bakersfield? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
11% higher
Bakersfield's median income is 11% higher than Orlando
Bakersfield
Winner$80,540
Orlando
$72,336
Median household income is $80,540 in Bakersfield versus $72,336 in Orlando, so typical pay runs 11% higher in Bakersfield (about $8,204 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Bakersfield is the stronger labor market on paper. Orlando can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
39% lower crime
Bakersfield's crime index is 39% lower than Orlando
Bakersfield
Winner148 (100 = avg)
Orlando
242 (100 = avg)
Bakersfield's crime index is 148 versus 242 in Orlando (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 39% lower in Bakersfield. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Bakersfield is the easier city. Orlando can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Bakersfield and Orlando are about even on typical weather.
Bakersfield
73°F avg · 87°F highs · comfort 100/100
Orlando
71°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Bakersfield averages about 73°F (87°F highs); Orlando averages about 71°F (77°F highs). Bakersfield sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Orlando sits near 71°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Bakersfield is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 16% cheaper here at about $1,472 a month. Choose Bakersfield if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bakersfield is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 11% higher here ($80,540). Start with Bakersfield if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bakersfield is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 39% lower than Orlando (148 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Orlando
On these five categories Bakersfield takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Orlando because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Orlando only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Bakersfield: Bakersfield scores 48/100 versus 33/100 in Orlando, with typical rent at $1,472 versus $1,747. I would vet the exact ZIP in Orlando before trading 15 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (48/100 in Bakersfield vs 33/100 in Orlando), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $80,540 in Bakersfield versus $72,336 in Orlando.
Pick Bakersfield when you want the stronger safety signal (48/100). Otherwise, Orlando's case rests on a Orlando ZIP you trust at $1,747 rent.
Common questions
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