City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Berkeley, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Berkeley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

120,223
Residents
$108,558
Median income
$1,351,100
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Berkeley - the verdict

Nationally, Berkeley sits in the 82nd percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

82nd
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
2nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Berkeley, CA

California's Berkeley is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 120,223 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $108,558 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.4%. Typical homes in Berkeley are valued around $1,351,100, and the median resident age is 32.9 years. About 75.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 307 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 15% from five years earlier. Berkeley's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 5867.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 58.5°F with 26.1 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,912 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). The average commute for Berkeley workers runs 20.2 minutes, with 27.4% driving alone and 32.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

120,223 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$108,558 /yr

Poverty 3.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Berkeley compare to other US cities?

Where Berkeley sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 82% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, Berkeley ranks #430 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Berkeley's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

82ndIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

82nd percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Berkeley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Berkeley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 29 Avg. percentile National median
Berkeley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Berkeley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,351,100 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Berkeley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Berkeley, CA Berkeley, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Berkeley, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Berkeley, CA median $108,558/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Berkeley, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Berkeley, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 75.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
120,223
Median Income
$108,558
Median Home Value
$1,351,100
Median Age
32.9
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Labor force participation
57.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
75.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5867.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
638.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5229.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
58.5°F
Annual Precipitation
26.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
110,000 residents115,000 residents120,000 residents125,000 residents130,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 124,142 residents 121,911 residents ▼ -1.8%
Berkeley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
307
housing units authorized
Single-Family
98
detached homes
Multifamily
209
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 266
2020 339
2021 316
2022 795
2023 433
2024 307

Permit volume increased 15% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.2 minutes
Drive Alone
27.4%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
15.8%
Walk
13.5%
Work from Home
32.5%
Other
7.0%

Based on 60,420 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Berkeley sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,912/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Fairfield
119,985 people
Clovis
122,719 people
Concord
124,260 people
Vallejo
124,637 people
Antioch
115,759 people
Richmond
115,396 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Berkeley's 120,223 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hartford, CT
119,970 people
West Palm Beach, FL
119,508 people
Ann Arbor, MI
121,179 people
Lafayette, LA
121,537 people
Spring Hill, FL
118,814 people
Rochester, MN
121,638 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Berkeley's $108,558 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Yarmouth Port, MA
$108,563 median income
Indian Rocks, PA
$108,549 median income
Westcreek, CO
$108,571 median income
Westphalia, IA
$108,542 median income
Muse, PA
$108,542 median income
Gulf Breeze, FL
$108,575 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Berkeley, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Berkeley, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.8% 7.4% 20.7% 11.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.1% White 54.8% Black or African American 7.4% Asian 20.7% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 5.0% Two or more races 11.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Berkeley compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Berkeley (this city) 120,223 $108,558
Fairfield 119,985 $102,321
Clovis 122,719 $100,360
Concord 124,260 $109,195
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Berkeley, CA?

What is the population of Berkeley, CA? +

The population of Berkeley, CA stands at 120,223 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Berkeley, CA? +

Median annual household income in Berkeley runs $108,558, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Berkeley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Berkeley; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Berkeley, CA safe? +

Berkeley has a total crime rate of 5867.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Berkeley, CA? +

Homes in Berkeley carry a median value of $1,351,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Berkeley? +

The average annual temperature in Berkeley runs 58.5°F, 26.1 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.