Just across the Tehachapi Mountains, a two-hour drive from Greater Los Angeles, Bakersfield has a vibrant economy and culture all its own. Its economy is dominated by agriculture, energy, and transportation and logistics, attracting its large foreign-born workforce (ranked #7 among U.S. midsize cities). Kern County, where Bakersfield is located, is the top oil-producing county in the U.S., accounting for 10% of the nation’s production. Bakersfield’s unparalleled weather (#1) has made it a hub for solar power generation, with numerous commercial and utility scale arrays constructed or proposed. As the home of the Bakersfield Sound, a unique country music genre made famous by Merle Haggard, the city is no cultural slouch. It ranks #12 in Restaurants and #13 in our important Place category. It’s no wonder that with Bakersfield’s easy proximity to California’s natural wonders, combined with its affordable housing prices, the city is one of the most popular cities for Millennials in the country, according to a recent National Association of Realtors report.