What $350K Buys in Bakersfield Right Now
As of September 29, 2026, $350,000 buys a smaller, older house in Bakersfield, usually around 1,200 square feet and built in the 1950s, most often in central, east and south Bakersfield ZIP codes. Redfin showed 243 houses listed under $350,000 in the city that day, about 1 in 5 of the 1,295 houses for sale.
That is the honest answer. It is not a bad answer. It just means a first home at this price is usually an older home, and buying an older home well takes a different kind of homework. Here is what the listings actually show, where they are, and what to check before you write an offer.
How many Bakersfield houses are for sale under $350,000?
On September 29, 2026, Redfin's search for the city of Bakersfield showed 1,295 houses for sale. Filtered to $350,000 and under, it showed 243. That is about 19 percent of the houses on the market.
For the details below, I pulled Redfin's downloadable listing data the same day. It carried 1,037 active single family listings, because MLS rules keep some listings out of the download. Inside that set, 235 houses were priced under $350,000. Every size, age and ZIP code figure in this post comes from that September 29 download.
For context, Redfin reports the median sale price in Bakersfield at $419,807 for the three months ending August 2026, up 0.2 percent from a year earlier, with homes selling in about 35 days. So $350,000 sits well under the middle of the market, not at it.
What does each price range get you?
The pattern is simple. Every step up in price buys more space and a newer house. Below $350,000, the median house was built before 1970.
| Price range | Active listings | Median size | Median year built | Share with 3 or more bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300,000 | 116 | 1,052 sq ft | 1950 | 64% |
| $300,000 to $350,000 | 119 | 1,349 sq ft | 1968 | 83% |
| $350,000 to $400,000 | 160 | 1,583 sq ft | 1986 | 91% |
| $400,000 to $450,000 | 140 | 1,881 sq ft | 2004 | 95% |
| $450,000 to $500,000 | 152 | 2,055 sq ft | 2004 | 97% |
| $500,000 and up | 350 | 2,716 sq ft | 2006 | 98% |
Source: Redfin listing data for the city of Bakersfield, single family houses, read September 29, 2026.
Two things jump out. The $300,000 to $350,000 range gets you roughly 300 more square feet than the range below it, and a house about 18 years newer. And the jump from $350,000 to $400,000 is where the median house moves from the 1960s into the 1980s. If your budget can stretch into the next range, that is often where the biggest change in the house happens.
Where are the homes under $350,000?
They are not spread evenly. In the September 29 data, the homes under $350,000 sat almost entirely in the older ZIP codes in the center, east and south of the city. The newer northwest and southwest ZIP codes had almost none.
| ZIP code | Houses listed under $350K | All houses listed |
|---|---|---|
| 93307 | 49 | 109 |
| 93304 | 44 | 70 |
| 93308 | 41 | 96 |
| 93306 | 39 | 135 |
| 93309 | 27 | 80 |
| 93305 | 24 | 32 |
| 93301 | 4 | 20 |
| 93313 | 4 | 91 |
| 93312 | 2 | 95 |
| 93314 | 1 | 110 |
| 93311 | 0 | 175 |
Source: Redfin listing data, single family houses, read September 29, 2026.
So if your search is set to 93311 or 93314 and a $350,000 ceiling, you will see almost nothing and conclude there is nothing to buy. There is. It is in other ZIP codes. If you are still deciding between sides of town, my breakdown of northwest vs. southwest Bakersfield covers how the housing differs.
Why the age of the house matters more than the price
Of the houses listed under $350,000, 74 percent were built before 1978. Across all Bakersfield houses for sale, that figure was 29 percent. The median house under $350,000 was built in 1956 and has about 1,218 square feet. About 35 percent have one bathroom or fewer.
An older house is not a worse house. Many have been updated. But age changes what can go wrong, and what it costs after you move in. A 1950s house can be a great first home. It needs a buyer who knows what to look at.
The 1978 line
Houses built before 1978 come with a federal lead paint rule. Under the EPA's disclosure rule, the seller has to tell you about any known lead paint and share any reports they have, give you the EPA's lead pamphlet, and include a lead warning statement. You also get a 10 day window to have the home tested for lead paint hazards, which you can use or waive. You can read the rule on the EPA's real estate lead disclosure page.
What to check on an older Bakersfield house before you offer
These are the items I look at first on a house built decades ago. None of them should scare you off. All of them should be on your list.
- The roof. Ask the seller for its age and any permits. A roof near the end of its life affects your insurance as much as your repairs.
- Heating and air. Bakersfield summers are hard on an old system. Find out the age of the unit and whether the ducts have been replaced.
- The electrical panel. Older homes can carry panels or wiring an inspector or insurer will flag. Get it named in the inspection report.
- The sewer line. A camera inspection of the line to the street is a small cost next to a line replacement.
- Permits for additions. A converted garage or added room without a permit can create problems with the appraisal and with insurance.
- Lead paint. Decide up front whether you will use the 10 day testing window on a pre 1978 house.
If the inspection turns something up, you have options. My post on what happens when the buyer wants repairs after the inspection walks through how that negotiation works.
The costs that are not in the list price
The price is only part of what you pay to own the house. Plan for these three at this price range.
- Property tax. Your bill resets based on your purchase price, not the seller's old bill. Here is what you will actually pay in Kern County property taxes.
- Insurance. Older roofs and older systems can change your quote or your options. Get a quote during escrow, not after. My post on Kern County home insurance covers what is happening with the FAIR Plan.
- Closing costs. These are separate from the price and separate from what you put down. See the breakdown of closing costs in Bakersfield for first time buyers.
Does waiting help or hurt a $350,000 budget?
Nobody can promise where prices or rates go next, and I will not pretend to. What the data does show is that prices in Bakersfield were nearly flat over the year, up 0.2 percent per Redfin's August 2026 figures. Rates moved higher in September: Freddie Mac's benchmark average reached 7.03 percent in its September 24, 2026 survey, up from 6.95 percent the week before.
The houses under $350,000 had been listed a median of 42 days on September 29, close to the 43 days for all listings. That tells me these homes are not flying off the market, which gives a prepared buyer room to inspect carefully and negotiate. The first step is knowing your real number from a lender before you fall for a house.
Common questions
Can you still buy a house in Bakersfield for under $300,000?
Yes. On September 29, 2026, Redfin's listing data showed 116 active houses in the city under $300,000. The median one was about 1,052 square feet and built in 1950, and about a third had fewer than three bedrooms.
What ZIP codes have the most homes under $350,000 in Bakersfield?
In the September 29, 2026 data, 93307, 93304, 93308 and 93306 had the most, with 39 to 49 houses each. ZIP codes 93311, 93312 and 93314 had between zero and two.
Are homes under $350,000 in Bakersfield mostly older?
Yes. About 74 percent of the houses listed under $350,000 were built before 1978, and the median was built in 1956. Plan your inspection around the age of the house.
Do I have to test for lead paint on an older house?
No, it is your choice. For a house built before 1978, federal rules give you a 10 day opportunity to test for lead paint hazards, and you can waive it. The seller must disclose what they know either way.
Is a condo or townhome a better option at this price?
This post covers houses only. Condos and townhomes can widen your options, but they usually carry a monthly HOA fee that counts against your budget. Ask for the HOA budget and rules before you write an offer.
Start with your real number
A $350,000 budget in Bakersfield is real. It just buys a specific kind of house, in specific parts of town, and it rewards the buyer who inspects carefully. If you want help sorting the good older houses from the money pits, ask me anything, even the random stuff. Start with my free first time buyer guide: yourfirsttimebuyerguide.netlify.app.
Only a licensed lender can quote a rate, a payment or an APR for your situation. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Sources: Redfin Bakersfield search and listing data read September 29, 2026; Redfin Bakersfield housing market report for August 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey released September 24, 2026; U.S. EPA real estate lead disclosure rule. Listing counts change daily.
Julio Ochoa | Next Level Realty | CalDRE 02198776 | 661-933-8428
Categories
Recent Posts
