Richmond vs Walnut Creek
Richmond, 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.
Richmond and Walnut Creek score about the same overall (46 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Richmond | Walnut Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $130k |
| Cost of Living | $76k | $76k |
| Home Value | $625k | $973k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.93% | 0.68% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 22.95% | 21.33% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.2 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 | 200 days | 181 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 91.1 | 95.5 |
| Air Quality | 29 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 79.1 | 75.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1355/100k | 722/100k |
| Property Crime | 2738/100k | 3091/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 115,619 | 69,809 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 47.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.79 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+46 | D+46 |
| White (%) | 17.5% | 64.1% |
| Black (%) | 17.8% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 44.0% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 14.0% | 16.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.8% | 6.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 35 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.9% | 94.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.67 | 51.28 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Richmond or Walnut Creek more affordable?
- Walnut Creek has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Richmond's $76k and Walnut Creek's $76k. Median rent is $2k in Richmond versus $3k in Walnut Creek.
- Is Richmond or Walnut Creek safer?
- Walnut Creek has the lower violent crime rate. Richmond reports 1355/100k and Walnut Creek reports 722/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Richmond or Walnut Creek?
- The median home value is $625k in Richmond and $973k in Walnut Creek, so homes are more affordable in Richmond.