NAICS 62

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Bakersfield-Delano, CA

Metro Market Score 18.6 (Favorable), ranked #7 of 248 metros. 13,352 establishments, 47,178 jobs.

Metro Market Score 18.6

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national healthcare and social assistance average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market

Bakersfield-Delano ranks in the top 10% for healthcare and social assistance market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 18.6, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

30.6

LQ: 0.95

Rank #76 of 248 metros

Wage Competitiveness

13.7

$54,894 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 93.5

Employment growth index

Rank #17 of 248 metros

Wage Pressure

28.1

YoY wage change index

13,352 Healthcare and Social Assistance Firms in Bakersfield-Delano

13,352

Establishments

+21.7% YoY

47,178

Total Employment

+8.5% YoY

$54,894

Average Annual Wage

+0.4% YoY

0.95

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within California

#3 of 24

healthcare and social assistance metros in state

California state rank

#49 of 51

for healthcare and social assistance entry risk

vs State Median

-18.5

better than median (37.1)

Bakersfield-Delano vs California Statewide

How this metro's healthcare and social assistance market compares to California overall. The state ranks #49/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Bakersfield-Delano	CA Statewide
Overall Score	18.6 Favorable	54.6 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#7 of 248 metros	#49 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Bakersfield-Delano

Finance and Insurance 19.0 Information 28.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 46.5 Administrative and Support Services 50.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 54.7 Retail Trade 56.4 Construction 57.5 Other Services 57.7 Accommodation and Food Services 64.2

Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other California Metros

Visalia 15.8 #4/248 Merced 17.5 #6/248 El Centro 21.7 #8/248 Stockton-Lodi 26.8 #14/248 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura 26.9 #15/248 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 27.0 #16/248 Hanford-Corcoran 31.8 #26/248 Salinas 32.3 #30/248 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 34.9 #41/248 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim 36.2 #49/248

+ 13 more metros. View all in California →

Healthcare and Social Assistance Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Bakersfield-Delano's 18.6 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Merced, CA 17.5 #6/248 Lawrence, KS 16.1 #5/248 Visalia, CA 15.8 #4/248 El Centro, CA 21.7 #8/248 Midland, TX 21.9 #9/248

Healthcare and Social Assistance in States Bordering California

State-level entry risk for healthcare and social assistance in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Nevada 37.2 #22/51 Arizona 44.1 #32/51 Oregon 55.6 #50/51

Browse Healthcare and Social Assistance in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for healthcare and social assistance across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Bakersfield-Delano's healthcare and social assistance sector, the industry concentration component (30.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment