Berkeley, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 87% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 62% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for comfortable days
- bottom 1% for estimated total tax burden
Berkeley is a city in California with about 121,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, comfortable days, and airport distance. It rates lower on property crime and estimated total tax burden.
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
83%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$105k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$76kbetter than 3% of US places
Home Value$1.3M99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 5% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.75%better than 68% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden25.42%better than 1% of US places
Unemployment5.5%better than 35% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation26.1 in20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days261 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days204 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk87.1better than 14% of US places
Air Quality37 AQIbetter than 83% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime725/100kbetter than 50% of US places
Property Crime5644/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population121,38599th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.514th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9644th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)51.9%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.5%81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.1%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)20.7%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 23% of US places
Walkability15.8/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance12 mibetter than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.2%better than 80% of US places
Amenities Nearby120.86better than 59% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 33% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Berkeley an affordable place to live?
- Berkeley is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $76k, better than 3% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Berkeley?
- The median home value in Berkeley is $1.3M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Berkeley?
- Median household income in Berkeley is $105k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Berkeley?
- Median gross rent in Berkeley is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Berkeley safe?
- Berkeley is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 725/100k (better than 50%). Property crime is 5644/100k.
- What is the weather like in Berkeley?
- Berkeley averages 65°F in July and 51°F in January, with 26.1 in of annual precipitation and about 261 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Berkeley?
- Public-school quality in Berkeley is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Berkeley?
- The average one-way commute in Berkeley is 30 min.
Other places in Contra Costa County
Places near Berkeley
Compare Berkeley
Explore California
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)