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El Cerrito vs Richmond

El Cerrito, California versus Richmond, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

El Cerrito

Solid · objective livability50/100

Richmond

Mixed · objective livability45/100

El Cerrito edges out Richmond on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorEl CerritoRichmond
Affordability
Median Household Income$120k$87k
Cost of Living$76k$76k
Home Value$1.1M$625k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$6k$21k
Property Tax Rate0.82%0.93%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden23.37%22.95%
Unemployment5.5%6.9%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F51°F
Summer Temp (Jul)66°F66°F
Annual Precipitation22.8 in24.2 in
Annual Snowfall0.0 in0.0 in
Sunny Days261 days261 days
Summer Humidity55°F55°F
Comfortable Days201 days200 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.191.1
Air Quality33 AQI29 AQI
School Quality79.179.1
Violent Crime863/100k1355/100k
Property Crime4056/100k2738/100k
Community
Population25,869115,619
Median Age41.937.1
Racial Diversity0.660.79
Male/Female Ratio0.930.98
Political LeaningD+46D+46
White (%)45.2%17.5%
Black (%)4.7%17.8%
Hispanic (%)12.8%44.0%
Asian (%)29.7%14.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)7.6%6.8%
Getting Around
Commute Time33 min35 min
Walkability14.1/2015.1/20
Airport Distance15 mi18 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.5%90.9%
Amenities Nearby323.1729.67
Park & Nature AccessModerateGood

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 El Cerrito or Richmond more affordable?
Richmond has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with El Cerrito's $76k and Richmond's $76k. Median rent is $2k in El Cerrito versus $2k in Richmond.
Is El Cerrito or Richmond safer?
El Cerrito has the lower violent crime rate. El Cerrito reports 863/100k and Richmond reports 1355/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in El Cerrito or Richmond?
The median home value is $1.1M in El Cerrito and $625k in Richmond, so homes are more affordable in Richmond.
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