Bakersfield compared to Phoenix, what's different and the same? (Oxnard: new home, neighborhoods)

[Packard fan]

I've never been to Bakersfield so could people tell me what's different and what's the same between the 2 cities? I've read that their rain numbers are the same and it's cooler in B but, that's all I know. Ok; the population in B is less too.

[Billy Millennium]

For one; Phoenix is a major U.S. city with more going on regarding entertainment and amenities. Also, Phoenix is surrounded by other large suburbs such as Scottsdale and Tempe with their very own amenities. It's really a bustling area. Pro/College sports it's all there. Nightlife? You have it in the three cities I mentioned. Restaurants/Shopping? Tons of it.

Advantages of Bakersfield might be being close to LA and the cooler weather. No real airport in Bakersfield; which is something to keep in mind. Being a much smaller metro area it seems logical to think it would be more manageable and traffic/other city hassles would be minimal.

Don't know much about Bakersfield but it seems hard to compare these two. Different sized cities offering different things.

[Think4Yourself]

Bakerfield's population is ~340,000

Phoenix metro area population is ~3.2 million.

Other than they're both crapholes in the desert filled mostly by economic losers who have been forced out of actually desirable areas I can't think of anything they have in common. If forced to chose between the two I suppose I would have to pick Phoenix but thank god I don't have to live in either place.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by Think4Yourself

Bakerfield's population is ~340,000

Phoenix metro area population is ~3.2 million.

Other than they're both crapholes in the desert filled mostly by economic losers who have been forced out of actually desirable areas I can't think of anything they have in common. If forced to chose between the two I suppose I would have to pick Phoenix but thank god I don't have to live in either place.

Phoenix ain't all that "ugly"; are you sure you don't mean Tucson? Now, THAT'S a rough looking place tho it does have some nice parts.

[Bruce81]

Having lived in both places, I can compare them very well. Phoenix is bigger, cleaner, better roads, and you can actually see the mountains. The bad thing about Phx is the politics now overthere, its much hotter, I laugh when people thing Bako is hot, try 118 in Phx and a low of 98 at night, Phoenix summers are just wayy too hot and long, it never cools off. Bakersfield gets hot, but it does drop at night and you do see some nights in the 70's in the summer. Phx you dont even know what 70 feels like from may to october. The surroundings of Phx are just boring, sand, dust and Sedona which is beautiful, but gets old like the people there. Bakersfield is close to L.A which has tons to do, very easy day trip, close to the coast, Pismo, ect, and the national parks. Both are similar that entertainment wise, dining out, and shopping is the thing to do, Phoenix has the edge since its much bigger. Overall Phoenix is bigger, Bakersfield is smaller, but Bakers has better weather and surroundings and IMO..

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I have been to both places and both have good and bad points. Both places are where those that can't afford the coast seem to end up. We were heading in that direction at one time. Surprise is a suburb of Phoenix. At the time homes in our area were selling for $550,000 and up to $1,250,000 for a tract house depending on the age and size of the home. Homes in Surprise were in the low $200,000 range. Our motivation at the time was to get into a new home. That is not the case today. Homes in our area are selling in the low $300,000 range and up. You can also get a new town home for the low $200,000 range in Oxnard, on the coast. Did I mention that Oxnard is on the coast?

Then again homes in both Bakersfield and the Phoenix Metro have also declined in value. I would think rents are lower as well. I saw places six months ago selling for less than $100,000 in the Phoenix area. I saw homes that were less than 10 years old selling in Buckeye in the $60,000 range. You can't beat that for price.

Still wondering though, is that the motivation for moving to either of those areas?

[stevewarner]

No comparison between Bakersfield and Phoenix------too many differences.

For starters the Phoenix area is something like the 5th largest in the nation and has 1.5 million residents, Bakersfield is something like 350,000. Phoenix is much bigger and offers more opportunity for start-up business and just a better place to find work that pays reasonably good along with a reasonable cost of living.

Phoenix has a pretty nice Downtown that could be better but it's still a great Downtown compared to Bakersfield. Phoenix has museums, stadiums, pro-sports, good colleges, and diverse neighborhoods. Does Bakersfield have any of that?

Phoenix looks sort of flat, and becomes rather bland and strip mall suburban-looking north of Downtown, but then there's the jewel known as Scottsdale. What nightlife Phoenix doesn't have can be found in Scottsdale------walk along the waterfront day or night, go to a bar or club, grab a bite to eat late at night. High-end shopping all around.

Does Bakersfield have Neiman-Marcus, Nordstrom, or Sak's 5th Avenue? I doubt it but they can be found in Phoenix-Scottsdale area.

About the only thing Bakersfield has going for it is the mini-Nashville culture of sorts if you're into the country-western thing, but is that even around much anymore??

Probably the only things Phoenix and Bakersfield have in common is the dry climate and deserty scenery. But I'll tell ya that even Phoenix's desert surroundings are much much prettier than Bakersfield's!!

[mongozx]

Phoenix is Bakersfield but with more heat, more people and professional sports.

/thread