Truth in Accounting

Bakersfield, CA

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TIA Data

2023 Financial State of Bakersfield (Released 02/27/2024)

Use Create Your Own City Chart to see additional financial, demographic and economic data for this and other cities

 
Bakersfield owns more than it owes.
Bakersfield has a $800 Taxpayer Surplus.™
Bakersfield is a Sunshine City with enough assets to cover its debt.
Decisions by elected officials have created a Taxpayer Surplus™, which is each taxpayer's share of money available after city bills have been paid.
TIA's Taxpayer Surplus™ measurement incorporates all assets and liabilities, including retirement obligations.
Bakersfield has $713.1 million of assets available to pay the state's bills totaling $588.7 million.
Bakersfield has $124.4 million available after bills have been paid, which breaks down to $800 per taxpayer.
Bakersfield's reported net position is understated by $57.2 million, largely because the city defers recognizing gains resulting from decreases in retirement liabilities.
The city's financial report was released 910 days after its fiscal year end, which is considered untimely according to the 180 day standard.

Prior Years' TIA Data

2022 Financial State of Bakersfield

2021 Financial State of Bakersfield

2020 Financial State of Bakersfield

2019 Financial State of Bakersfield

2018 Financial State of Bakersfield

2017 Financial State of Bakersfield

2016 Financial State of Bakersfield

 

Other Resources

Bakersfield Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports

Publishing Entity: Finance Department

IN THE NEWS
Financial State of the Cities 2025

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

The Financial State of the Cities report found that 54 cities did not have enough money to pay their bills. Each city has some form of a balanced budget requirement, but this new report shows that cities have not met the intent of their requirement and have pushed costs onto future taxpayers.

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