Berkeley vs Walnut Creek
Berkeley, California versus Walnut Creek, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Berkeley and Walnut Creek score about the same overall (49 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Berkeley | Walnut Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $130k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $1.3M | $973k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.68% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 25.42% | 21.33% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 26.1 in | 20.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 204 days | 181 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.1 | 95.5 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 75.8 |
| Violent Crime | 725/100k | 722/100k |
| Property Crime | 5644/100k | 3091/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 121,385 | 69,809 |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 47.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 51.9% | 64.1% |
| Black (%) | 7.5% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.1% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 20.7% | 16.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 6.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 15.8/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.2% | 94.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 120.86 | 51.28 |
| 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 Walnut Creek more affordable?
- Walnut Creek has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Berkeley's $76k and Walnut Creek's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Berkeley versus $3k in Walnut Creek.
- Is Berkeley or Walnut Creek safer?
- Walnut Creek has the lower violent crime rate. Berkeley reports 725/100k and Walnut Creek reports 722/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Berkeley or Walnut Creek?
- The median home value is $1.3M in Berkeley and $973k in Walnut Creek, so homes are more affordable in Walnut Creek.