Metro FMR · CBSA 12540 · HUD FY2026

Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA metro area - 19% above the US average.

$1,140
1-bedroom FMR
$1,483
2-bedroom FMR
+7.1%
YoY change
+19%
vs US avg

The verdict

A 2-bedroom in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA area rents at $1,483 under HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent - 26% above the US average, higher than 68% of the 387 metro areas HUD tracks.

#124
priciest of 387 US metros (2BR)
+26%
vs the US 2-bedroom average
$59,320
income to afford it (30% rule)
+7.1%
1BR change, FY2025→2026

Affordability & income context

Bakersfield-Delano: #124 priciest nationally · income context

At the metro's ACS median household income of $67,660, this 1-bedroom FMR takes 20.2% of annual income. It is well below the 30% affordability guide for a median-income household.

The 2-bedroom figure places Bakersfield-Delano in the middle half of HUD metro areas, using the same FY2026 HUD schedule as the national comparison.

With 906,883 residents, this is a major regional metro benchmark rather than a single-neighborhood rent quote.

Its 2-bedroom FMR sits in the middle half of HUD metro areas, so the local-income comparison is more informative than the national rank alone.

The studio-through-two-bedroom FMR bands stay below 30% of recorded median income here; the larger-bedroom rows show where that headroom narrows.

Observed renter burden: 52.0% of the 113,095 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from the FY2026 HUD FMR benchmark.

ACS median household income lags the FY2026 HUD FMR schedule. The income share is a same-metro cross-source read (Census ACS B19013 vs HUD FMR), not a same-vintage ratio.

Studio

$1,132/mo

20.1% of median income

1 Bedroom

$1,140/mo

20.2% of median income

2 Bedroom

$1,483/mo

26.3% of median income

3 Bedroom

$2,062/mo

36.6% of median income

4 Bedroom

$2,488/mo

44.1% of median income

FMR filing desk

CBSA CBSA·12540

Bakersfield-Delano: $1,140/mo 1BR · #124 of 387 metros (2BR) · FY2026 CBSA 12540

  • CBSA 12540
  • 1BR-FMR $1,140
  • 2BR-FMR $1,483
  • RANK-MID #124
  • YOY-SURGE +7.1%
  • VSUS-ABOVE +19%
  • IN-ST-LOW #3 CA
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-MAJOR 907K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Chico
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,026–$1,254
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Chico ($130 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Where Bakersfield-Delano sits among every US metro

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 387 HUD metro areas

$1,483 Top 32% higher than 68% of 387 metro areas

$800–$1,000: 28 metro areas (7%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 114 metro areas (29%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 95 metro areas (25%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 52 metro areas (13%). This entry sits in this band. $1,600–$1,800: 41 metro areas (11%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 26 metro areas (7%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 9 metro areas (2%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 5 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 4 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 2 metro areas (1%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 metro areas (0%). Above this entry. This metro $800 $4,400 every US metro, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more metro areas. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

Bakersfield-Delano studio–4BR schedule (FY2026) · 2BR #124 nationally

1BR $1,140 (+19% vs US, +7.1% YoY). Each bedroom band below is FY2026 HUD FMR for CBSA 12540.

Studio
$1,132
US avg $893
↑7.0% YoY +27% vs US
1 Bedroom
$1,140
US avg $959
↑7.1% YoY +19% vs US
2 Bedroom
$1,483
US avg $1,175
↑7.5% YoY +26% vs US
3 Bedroom
$2,062
US avg $1,525
↑6.6% YoY +35% vs US
4 Bedroom
$2,488
US avg $1,756
↑7.4% YoY +42% vs US

How Bakersfield-Delano compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other CA metro areas

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Bakersfield-Delano highlighted among 5 peers · FY2026 1BR HUD FMR.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Bakersfield-Delano: out-of-state FMR & burden peers

PlainRent pairs Bakersfield-Delano with the 4 nearest HUD 2BR schedules and 4 nearest burden matches outside CA (burden peers exclude the FMR set; pop ≥50k).

2BR FMR · outside CA

Nearest schedules by 2BR delta (FY2026).

Indianapolis-Carmel
IN · 2 BR $1,473/mo
Harrisburg-Carlisle
PA · 2 BR $1,493/mo
Gainesville
FL · 2 BR $1,493/mo
Knoxville
TN · 2 BR $1,471/mo

Burden % · outside CA

Nearest 2BR FMR ÷ ACS median income (FY2026).

Valdosta
GA · 26.2% of income · 2 BR $1,192/mo
Charleston-North Charleston
SC · 26.1% of income · 2 BR $1,787/mo
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
AZ · 26.1% of income · 2 BR $1,839/mo
Homosassa Springs
FL · 26.6% of income · 2 BR $1,225/mo

Bakersfield-Delano: quick answers

What is the average rent in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA metro area? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA is $1,140 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,483 and a studio is $1,132.
How does Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA metro area is 19% above the national average. A 1-bedroom costs $1,140 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Bakersfield-Delano rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
HUD's FY 2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,483 ranks #124 most expensive among 387 US metro areas (the middle half of HUD metro areas).
What income do I need to afford rent in Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $45,600 ($3,800/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA area.

Compare Bakersfield-Delano vs Chico →

Data as of FY 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Market Rents. Population and demographic data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

FY 2026 HUD FMR $1,140/mo · 1BR CA

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.