About Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California is located at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in central California. Bakersfield is the largest city, and county seat, in Kern County with a population of 312,000, and over 108,000 households. Bakersfield enjoys an affordable housing market and is within a few hours of major metropolitan areas, the ocean, or the mountains.
Kern County is referred to as “The Golden Empire” because of its rich history of gold, oil and agricultural production. Due to its strategic location, affordable land and available labor, Kern County is attractive to manufacturers, distribution centers and financial service companies. Companies like IKEA, Target and Sears have chosen the area for major distribution centers, and State Farm built one of its two state regional offices in southwest Bakersfield.
Kern County is a major oil producer in the nation producing about 570,000 barrels per day. The top oil producing fields are located here: Kern River, Midway-Sunset, Elk Hills, South Belridge and Cymric. Elk Hills also produces more natural gas than any other field in the state. Oil reproduced in Kern County accounts for 77% of California’s total onshore oil production.
Bakersfield and Kern County are ranked among the top five most productive agricultural counties in the United States with approximately 500,000 harvested acres dedicated to crop production. The top five crops for 2005 were almonds, wheat, grapes, pistachios and navel oranges.
Kern County is also home to Edwards’s Air Force Base and China Lake Navel Weapons Station. Edwards’ scientific contributions have been used to enhance flight technology and it has made them a leader in innovative flight technology. Edwards has been the landing site for numerous space shuttle flights. China Lake is a leader in aerospace and defense technology. The scientific research facilities at China Lake have created numerous inventions not only in the aerospace industry but many things that have been converted to consumer use as well including video technology and glow in the dark sticks.
The sites below provide additional information about Bakersfield and Kern County.
