Hayward vs Union City
Hayward, California versus Union City, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hayward and Union City score about the same overall (47 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hayward | Union City |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $105k | $138k |
| Cost of Living | $74k | $74k |
| Home Value | $776k | $1.0M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.67% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 21.14% | 21.90% |
| Unemployment | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 50°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.0 in | 15.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 55°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 203 days | 199 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.0 | 69.7 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.9 | 56.4 |
| Violent Crime | 653/100k | 1480/100k |
| Property Crime | 2916/100k | 4166/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 160,602 | 69,502 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 41.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.78 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 14.6% | 14.3% |
| Black (%) | 8.7% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 39.7% | 20.1% |
| Asian (%) | 29.2% | 55.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 34 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 13.5/20 | 13.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.4% | 94.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.84 | 74.53 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Hayward or Union City more affordable?
- Union City has the lower cost of living: its index is $74k, compared with Hayward's $74k and Union City's $74k. Median rent is $2k in Hayward versus $3k in Union City.
- Is Hayward or Union City safer?
- Hayward has the lower violent crime rate. Hayward reports 653/100k and Union City reports 1480/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hayward or Union City?
- The median home value is $776k in Hayward and $1.0M in Union City, so homes are more affordable in Hayward.