Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Bakersfield, CA
The average asking rent in Bakersfield, CA is $1,786/month as of 2026-04. That is +2.6% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,786/mo
as of 2026-04
Year-over-Year Change
+2.6%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Bakersfield, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04 | $1,786 | +0.39% |
| 2026-03 | $1,779 | +0.74% |
| 2026-02 | $1,766 | +0.57% |
| 2026-01 | $1,756 | +0.00% |
| 2025-12 | $1,756 | -0.57% |
| 2025-11 | $1,766 | +0.00% |
| 2025-10 | $1,766 | -0.06% |
| 2025-09 | $1,767 | +0.06% |
| 2025-08 | $1,766 | +0.00% |
| 2025-07 | $1,766 | +0.34% |
| 2025-06 | $1,760 | +0.74% |
| 2025-05 | $1,747 | +0.34% |
| 2025-04 | $1,741 | +0.00% |
| 2025-03 | $1,741 | +0.81% |
| 2025-02 | $1,727 | +0.58% |
| 2025-01 | $1,717 | +0.29% |
| 2024-12 | $1,712 | -0.35% |
| 2024-11 | $1,718 | +0.17% |
| 2024-10 | $1,715 | +0.41% |
| 2024-09 | $1,708 | +0.06% |
| 2024-08 | $1,707 | +0.06% |
| 2024-07 | $1,706 | +0.06% |
| 2024-06 | $1,705 | +0.77% |
| 2024-05 | $1,692 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices