Oakland vs Walnut Creek
Oakland, 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.
Walnut Creek edges out Oakland on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Oakland | Walnut Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $130k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $884k | $973k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.83% | 0.68% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 24.01% | 21.33% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.4 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 | 226 days | 181 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.7 | 95.5 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 96.3 | 75.8 |
| Violent Crime | 3171/100k | 722/100k |
| Property Crime | 6475/100k | 3091/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 437,825 | 69,809 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 47.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.78 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 29.0% | 64.1% |
| Black (%) | 21.3% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 26.6% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 15.7% | 16.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.3% | 6.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 14.5/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 6 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.1% | 94.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 35.08 | 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 Oakland or Walnut Creek more affordable?
- Walnut Creek has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Oakland's $76k and Walnut Creek's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Oakland versus $3k in Walnut Creek.
- Is Oakland or Walnut Creek safer?
- Walnut Creek has the lower violent crime rate. Oakland reports 3171/100k and Walnut Creek reports 722/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Oakland or Walnut Creek?
- The median home value is $884k in Oakland and $973k in Walnut Creek, so homes are more affordable in Oakland.