Hercules, CA
Census place 0633308 · pop 26,302
Named for the Hercules Powder Company, the dynamite maker that once dominated the town's economy.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
38 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$769,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,960/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
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 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.4% 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
48 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 +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
0.99% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
172 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
673 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
46.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
5.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
79.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 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 17.4% · better than most cities
13.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$129,397 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
24.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Hercules, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Hercules scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is commute time. 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 Hercules, CA?
- Hercules reports 172 violent crimes per 100k and 673 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Hercules, CA expensive to live in?
- Hercules has a median home value of $769,400 and typical rent around $2,960/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Hercules, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is commute time (38 min) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Hercules, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (24.5%) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Named for the Hercules Powder Company, the dynamite maker that once dominated the town's economy.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.