Bakersfield Property Tax Rate
The typical property-tax rate in Bakersfield is about 1.16% of assessed value (about 1.11%–1.21% across Tax Rate Areas) — the 1% Proposition 13 base plus voter-approved debt. A typical Bakersfield home is assessed at about $262,568 for existing owners — roughly $3,046 a year. Estimate your own bill below.
At about 1.16%, Bakersfield is near the ~1.14% average across these California cities. In Kern County — see the Kern County overview →
At Bakersfield's typical rate of 1.16% (range 1.11%–1.21%):
$3,046 / year
Range across Bakersfield's Tax Rate Areas: $2,915–$3,177.
Ad-valorem only — excludes Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments. Your exact rate depends on your parcel's Tax Rate Area. Under Proposition 13, assessed value is generally your purchase price, rising ≤2% a year.
How Bakersfield property tax is calculated
California taxes property under Proposition 13: your assessed value is generally set when you buy, then rises no more than 2% a year until the property changes hands or is newly built. The annual bill is that assessed value times the ad-valorem rate — the 1% base plus voter-approved bonds — which is why Bakersfield's typical rate works out to about 1.16%. Because the bonds differ by Tax Rate Area, two homes in Bakersfield can pay slightly different rates. Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments, where they apply, are billed separately on top.
Learn the rules behind the rate: Proposition 13, Mello-Roos, and what triggers a reassessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Bakersfield, CA?
The typical property-tax rate in Bakersfield is about 1.16% of assessed value (roughly 1.11%–1.21% across its Tax Rate Areas) — the 1% Proposition 13 base plus voter-approved debt. That's near the average across these California cities (~1.14%). Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments, where a parcel has them, are billed on top.
How much is property tax in Bakersfield?
A typical Bakersfield home is assessed at about $262,568 for existing owners, which works out to roughly $3,046 a year at 1.16%. Under Proposition 13 your assessed value is generally what you paid when you bought, rising no more than 2% a year — estimate your own bill with the calculator above.
Why do property tax rates vary within Bakersfield?
Bakersfield spans more than one Tax Rate Area (it has 1164). The 1% base is the same everywhere, but each area adds its own voter-approved school, city, and special-district bonds, so two homes in Bakersfield can pay slightly different total rates. The figure here is the typical rate across Bakersfield's parcels.
When are property taxes due in Bakersfield?
Kern County bills Bakersfield property taxes in two installments: the first is due November 1 (delinquent after December 10) and the second February 1 (delinquent after April 10), with a 10% penalty after each date. These deadlines are set by California state law and are the same countywide.
Learn More
Rate source: Kern County Auditor-Controller Tax Rate Area rates joined to the Kern County Assessor / GIS parcel roll (aggregates only, no parcel or owner data). The figure is the typical ad-valorem rate across Bakersfield's parcels; your parcel's exact rate depends on its Tax Rate Area, and Mello-Roos or fixed direct assessments are extra. Typical value is the median assessed value across all property types (existing-owner Proposition 13 basis). Educational estimate, not an official bill.