Bakersfield anchors the southern end of California's Central Valley in Kern County, roughly 110 miles north of Los Angeles and 280 miles southeast of San Francisco. The city's economy runs on agriculture and oil production, with vast cotton and almond fields stretching toward the Tehachapi Mountains to the south and active petroleum operations throughout the region. Metropolitan Bakersfield extends from the Kern River in the north through downtown and east Bakersfield to the growing communities of Rosedale and Seven Oaks, with newer development pushing into the southwest toward the Stockdale Highway corridor. The area serves as the commercial center for surrounding towns like Shafter, Wasco, Delano, and Arvin, drawing workers and residents from across Kern County's agricultural belt.