Berkeley vs Lafayette
Berkeley, California versus Lafayette, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lafayette edges out Berkeley on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Berkeley | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $219k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $1.3M | $1.9M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 25.42% | 20.78% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1 in | 26.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 204 days | 185 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.1 | 97.2 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 75.8 |
| Violent Crime | 725/100k | 244/100k |
| Property Crime | 5644/100k | 1262/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 121,385 | 25,310 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 45.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 51.9% | 75.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.5% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.1% | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | 20.7% | 10.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 6.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 15.8/20 | 9.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 97.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 120.86 | 124.85 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Berkeley or Lafayette more affordable?
- Lafayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Berkeley's $76k and Lafayette's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Berkeley versus $3k in Lafayette.
- Is Berkeley or Lafayette safer?
- Lafayette has the lower violent crime rate. Berkeley reports 725/100k and Lafayette reports 244/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Berkeley or Lafayette?
- The median home value is $1.3M in Berkeley and $1.9M in Lafayette, so homes are more affordable in Berkeley.