Berkeley, CA
Census place 0606000 · pop 120,257
Home of UC Berkeley and the epicenter of the 1960s Free Speech Movement and student activism.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$1,413,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
5293 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.54 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$3,014/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
44.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
645 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
17.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
28 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
49 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.71% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$108,092 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
17.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
22.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
74.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is Berkeley, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Berkeley scores 36/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is housing cost. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Berkeley, CA?
- Berkeley reports 645 violent crimes per 100k and 5293 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Berkeley, CA expensive to live in?
- Berkeley has a median home value of $1,413,900 and typical rent around $3,014/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Berkeley, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($1,413,900) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Berkeley, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (74.9%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of UC Berkeley and the epicenter of the 1960s Free Speech Movement and student activism.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.