Why I like Northeast Bakersfield

"What part of Bakersfield, CA would I likely live in?"  I've asked that question many times. After deciding that Bakersfield will be our home for the next few decades we went out to look for the perfect place where we can watch the family grow and live the "American Dream".

Many Filipinos live in the city - about 17,000 according to estimates.  We get to see them at the malls and at the few specialty stores around town that are selling pinoy ingredients (bagoong, patis, ampalaya, etc).  And during these encounters questions are asked, like,   "Saan kayo dito sa Bakersfield nakatira?", "Tiga-saan kayo?", "May green card na kayo?", "May bahay na ba kayo dito?"  Vague answers are usually given but the last question about where we live has become a puzzle for me.

The way we see it (at least my wife and I) the city is divided into worse, bad, good, better and best.  The best parts of town is in, either, the northwest or the southwest.  We were warned never to go to the east that's where the worse and bad areas are.  There are many reasons why pinoys shy away but I won't talk about them.

But surprisingly, a wiki article extolls east Bakersfield!  When I read it I knew that I'd like the area.

Northeast Bakersfield

Northeast Bakersfield is bounded by University Avenue to the south, Union Avenue to the west, the Panorama bluffs to the north, and Fairfax to the east. Northeast Bakersfield has both large Latino and Caucasian populations. Northeast Bakersfield, along with Westchester and Rio Bravo, is home to some of the wealthiest residents in Bakersfield (particularly The Bakersfield Country Club and homes lining the Panorama Bluffs). Yet, there is also a balanced mixture of middle and upper-lower class neighborhoods as well. It has one major shopping center, the East Hills Mall. Bakersfield's community college, Bakersfield College, is also located in Northeast Bakersfield. Unlike most of Bakersfield which sits on the flat valley floor, Northeast Bakersfield is situated along rolling hills that are about 300 feet (91 m) higher in elevation than the rest of the city. The Panorama Bluffs provide views of the Kern River oilfields, Oildale and downtown Bakersfield. Although there aren't many, a few local restaurants can be found in Northeast Bakersfield as well. (wikipedia.com)