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Berkeley cityscape
California›Alameda County
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BerkeleyCA

Trash & recycling
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: pedrik · CC BY 2.0
Photo of Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Photo: pedrik · CC BY 2.0 · Source ↗

Population
121,911
2025 Census estimate · −1.9% since 2020
Typical home
$1.44M
+8% in a year
Household income
$108K
median
Median age
33.2
years
Jobs based here
66,939
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#182 of 841 in CA

What is it like to live in Berkeley?

For a city of 121,911, Berkeley does unevenly: it grades B−, 182nd of 841 graded towns in California. The median household earns $108K and it is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns. The trade-offs: it reports more crime per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, including 772 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. 75% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Berkeley, above both California’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). Few places in the country are easier to get around without a car. Berkeley has 63 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them California Hall and Doe Memorial Library.

StrongestA+WalkabilityA+Civic lifeAJobs & incomeWeakestD−SafetyD−Hazard riskDCost of living

What makes Berkeley stand out

Where Berkeley beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

16of 20 on EPA’s indexCar-dependentWalkable
WalkabilityA+
More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns
30.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of California
HistoryA
Settled in 1866
A history going back 160 years.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Berkeley6.4
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD−
45% more violent crime than CA
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of California
Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of California · National Register of Historic Places
Berkeley’s story

160 years in pictures

Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of California is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 63 National Register listings are more than in 99% of California towns with a listing.

Census counts: 5,101 in 1890, 124,321 in 2020. The archive holds 19 old photos and papers going back to 1873 and 2 maps from 1895 on.

  • 1866Berkeley is settled
Explore the history →

How Berkeley grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Berkeley is from typical.

How grading works

Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for safety (better than 3%), so the B− overall blends very different results.

WalkabilityEPA walkability 16 of 20; 20.7% of households have no carA+Open →SafetyD−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listD−Open →Jobs & incomeAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthAlta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp 1.9 miles awayAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8% conserved landA−Open →History26 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life5.6 library visits per resident; 8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 76° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market15 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.2–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and 203 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Berkeley. Close and well known come first.

All 255 attractions →
Big draw7 mi MuseumAlcatraz Federal PenitentiaryBig draw6 mi MuseumUSS HornetBig draw8 mi Stadium & arenaChase CenterBig draw8 mi LandmarkLombard StreetBig draw8 mi Stadium & arenaOracle Parkin town Stadium & arenaCalifornia Memorial Stadium
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary: druchoy, CC BY-SA 2.0 · USS Hornet: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 · Chase Center: Gregory Varnum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lombard Street: The original uploader was Y6y6y6 at English Wikipedia., Public domain · Oracle Park: User Coasttocoast on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · California Memorial Stadium: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Berkeley: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Berkeley, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEBMUDNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpCity of Berkeley Transfer StationTown pickupTown site
SchoolsBerkeley Unified School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereAlameda Registrar of VotersAlameda County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes94704, 94703, 94702, 9470994704 20% · 94703 17% · 94702 14% · 94709 10%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Berkeley.

Berkeley is shaped by its college students, draws workers from Oakland and beyond and has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns.

HousingCost of living grade D

The typical home in Berkeley is valued at about $1.44M

At 10.6 years of the San Francisco metro’s $136K median household income, the typical home (about $1.44M) costs more against local pay than in 80% of California towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living. The typical value, about $1.44M, is 9% below its May 2022 peak.

Typical home values rose 8% in the year to September 2026. For Berkeley, the typical rent is $2,133 a month. 44% of Berkeley households live in a home they own.

$1.44MZillow home value
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Households that own their home44%64%73%
Median rent$2,133 a month$1,895 a month$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent56%55%48%

Typical home value

Berkeley$1.44M
California$762K
Market temperature
Seller’s marketA strong seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
15
days on market
127.6%
sale-to-list price
+8%
value change, 1 year
70
homes sold in May
Full pageBerkeley’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsUp 8% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 13.3 years of incomeRents$2,133 a month · Median rentVs. the neighborsAhead of all 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsA

On state tests, Berkeley’s schools beat 86% of California districts

Its A for schools comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $1.44M.

The Berkeley Unified school district runs its public schools. Of its 35 schools, two are listed below, each with the reason. The 6 public schools in Berkeley teach 2,459 students between them.

86%of CA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Martin Luther King MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8Grades 6–8851–
Berkeley HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12Grades 9–123,218A+
Full pageBerkeley’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsBerkeley UnifiedVs. the neighborsAhead of 4 of its 5 graded neighborsEvery school35 schools · Malcolm X ElementaryQuestions“Are Berkeley’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation

SafetyD−

In Berkeley, property crime runs higher than in the typical California or U.S. town

Property crime runs at 40.4 per 1,000 residents, about twice the California rate, most of it theft. Reported crimes fell from 7,809 to 5,671 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The rate of reported violence in Berkeley is 6.4 per 1,000 residents.

3%of U.S. towns report more crimeD−Safety Grade
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)40.4 per 1,000 residents13.39.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)6.4 per 1,000 residents2.91.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Berkeley6.4
California4.4
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Berkeley40.4
California18.2
U.S.15.5
3rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
3rd
percentile among CA towns
772
violent crimes reported in 2025
4,899
property crimes reported in 2025
Full pageBerkeley’s safety reportOpen the page
Violent crime by type6.4 violent crimes per 1,000Crime over the yearsDown since 2023Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 5 graded neighborsQuestions“Is Berkeley, CA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A

About one in five working residents works right in Berkeley

66,939 jobs are based in Berkeley, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 37.1% of workers work from home, against 17.2% across California.

In Berkeley, 37% of workers work from home. Jobs in Berkeley grew by 6,493 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 66,939. The top destinations are San Francisco (26%), Oakland (13%) and San Jose (2%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 9 miles.

21%work in town
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Work from home37%14%11%
Working residents who work in town21%6.6%8%
Below the poverty line17%10%9.6%
Median household income$108,000$95,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Berkeley21%
San Francisco26%
Oakland13%
San Jose2%
Emeryville2%
9 mi
median commute distance
66,939
jobs based in Berkeley
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A+
Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns
Full pageBerkeley’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here66,939 jobs based here · A job hubWhere people work21% work in BerkeleyCommute times28 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 9 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−

Berkeley faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes

15 flood insurance claims have been paid in Berkeley since 1978. 88% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 11%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Berkeley after 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2023.

94risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
94Very high riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland flooding
15
paid flood claims since 1978
4
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageBerkeley’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims15 paid flood claims · Since 1978Past disasters4 federal disasters · Paid out in BerkeleyGet readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthA

A smaller share of adults have diabetes in Berkeley than in most of California or the rest of the country

Its widest gap with California is no health insurance: 6.1% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 10.6% statewide.

For adults in Berkeley, the share who smoke cigarettes is 8%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Berkeley is ahead of California on 20 and behind on 4.

88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)24%31%35%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)22%29%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)7.4%12%12%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)39%36%33%
32 measures vs. California
20 better8 too close to call4 worse
What stands outBerkeleyCA
Fewer uninsured adults6.1%10.6%
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth6.1%10.6%
More binge drinkers18.1%15.3%
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp
1.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
81st
percentile among CA towns
Full pageBerkeley’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exerciseHospitals & doctors nearby1.9 miles to an ER · Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates CampHow adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than CA on 20 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

OutdoorsA−

8.4% of the land in Berkeley is protected from building

The biggest park or preserve is McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, at 696 acres. Trails run 17 miles in 40 parks and preserves. The concentration of trails for Berkeley comes to 0.9 miles per square mile.

#400for trails in CA
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
Conserved land8.4%4.2%4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile0.9 miles per square mile1.00.4
8.4%
conserved · 945 of 11,245 acres
17 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. César Chávez Park3.9 mi92
2. Berkeley Meadow1.1 mi76
3. Brickyard Cove1 mi30
Full pageBerkeley’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map17 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk3.9 miles of trail · César Chávez ParkConserved land8.4% conserved · 945 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Berkeley?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

Mild winters and pleasant summers in Berkeley

January nights average 43°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 74.3°.

Berkeley’s January low is 43°F. Snow is almost unheard of.

76°summer high
BerkeleyCalifornia townsU.S. towns
July high74°F89°F85°F
January low43°F40°F22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter44–58°
Spring49–66°
Summer55–74°
Fall52–70°
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
76°
typical summer high
Full pageBerkeley’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 74°, January lows 43°Rain & snow23″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard ofHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Berkeley

20pages on Berkeley
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 86% of CA districts · 35 schoolsSafetyD−6.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than CA on 20 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$1.44M typical home · up 8% in a yearWork & commuteA$108K median household income · 66,939 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 94% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
OutdoorsA−17 mi of trails · 8% conserved landPlacesAttractions255 nearby · California Memorial Stadium under 1 miLibraryA+5.6 library visits per residentCollegesAcupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-Berkeley, in town
The story
HistoryASettled 1866 · 63 on the National RegisterFamous people26 born in BerkeleyTown Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 69 residentsClimate76° summer highs
Day to day
News5 recent stories about BerkeleyWeatherHandbookZIP code 94701, 94702, 94703Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

36 within 15 miles of the center of Berkeley

Berkeley City CollegeCommunity college · Public · BerkeleyIn town$1,258 in-state tuitionUniversity of California-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Public · BerkeleyIn town$16,347 in-state tuitionAcupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · BerkeleyIn town

College town 27 of every 100 Berkeley residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

27% of Berkeley is in college

11 colleges in town.

University of California-Berkeley43,954 students on campus
Admission
11%
Net price
$13,481
Graduate
93%
 Berkeley City College2,915 students on campus
Admission
Open
Net price
$9,096
Graduate
36%
 The Wright Institute511 students on campus
Admission
Open
Net price
—
Graduate
—
College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

63 places in Berkeley on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →
Room 307, Gilman Hall, University of CaliforniaNational Historic Landmark
First Church of Christ, ScientistNational Historic Landmark
St. John's Presbyterian Church
Senior Hall

Famous people from Berkeley

26 notable people were born in Berkeley.

See all 26 →
B
Ben AffleckAmerican film actor, director and screenwriter · born 1972
Ursula K. Le GuinAmerican fantasy and science fiction author · 1929–2018
Rebecca RomijnAmerican actress and model · born 1972
G
Gary RuvkunAmerican geneticist · born 1952
J
John FogertyAmerican rock musician · born 1945
C
Curtis T. McMullenAmerican mathematician and Fields medallist · born 1958

About Berkeley

City in California, United States

Berkeley ( BURK-lee) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emeryville to the south and the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington to the north. Its eastern border with Contra Costa County generally follows the ridge of the Berkeley Hills. The 2020 census recorded a population of 124,321. Berkeley is home to the oldest campus in the University of California, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which is managed and operated by the…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1866
Area
18 sq mi
Elevation
171 ft
ZIP code
94701, 94702, 94703
Area code
510

Berkeley’s neighbors

5 towns share a border with Berkeley.

Explore the map →
OaklandAlbanyKensingtonEmeryvilleSan FranciscoOaklandAlbanyKensingtonEmeryvilleSan FranciscoBerkeley
Oakland
SE · 13% of Berkeley workers commute here
Visit
Albany
NW
Visit
Kensington
N
Visit
Emeryville
S · 2% of Berkeley workers commute here
Visit
San Francisco
W · 26% of Berkeley workers commute here
Visit
How the neighbors grade
TownCA rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Berkeley#182B−DD−AA
Oakland#604DDD−CB+
Albany#91B+DC−AA+
Kensington#174B−DB−C+A+
Emeryville#549DDD−C−A+
San Francisco#308C+D−DB+A

Compare Berkeley with a neighbor →

Questions about Berkeley

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Berkeley, CA a good place to live?

Berkeley grades B− overall, better than 53% of U.S. towns and #182 of 841 in California. It grades A for health, D− for safety and A for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Berkeley, CA safe?

Berkeley reports more crime per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, a D− Safety Grade: 772 violent and 4,899 property crimes in 2025.

Is Berkeley, CA expensive?

Yes. That is 10.6 years of the area's median household income ($136,027 across the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Berkeley, CA known for?

26 notable people were born here, including Ben Affleck and Ursula K. Le Guin.