Census-designated place · California

Castro Valley, California

Castro Valley, census-designated place, in Alameda County, California. Castro Valley had 65,001 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±2,001). GEOID 0611964.

Residents, 2020-2024

65,001

±2,001 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 66,441

Median household income

$142,779

±$7,262 (90% margin)
California: $99,122

Median home value

$1,104,600

±$21,750 (90% margin)
California: $734,700

Median gross rent

$2,554

±$105 (90% margin)
California: $2,036

Where is Castro Valley and what county is it in?

Castro Valley is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Alameda County, California. It covers 16.8 square miles of land, 3,944 residents per square mile in 2020.

Castro Valley is in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Castro Valley (marked with a dot) in Alameda County, California. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Castro Valley, and is it growing?

The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Castro Valley's population at 65,001 (±2,001). The 2020 Census counted 66,441 residents.

The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Castro Valley is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.

ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Castro ValleyAlameda CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Total population 65,001 ±2,001 1,649,473 39,287,377 no clear change
Households 22,021 ±735 598,246 13,548,091 no clear change
Average household size 2.90 ±0.08 2.70 2.84 +0.13
Housing units 22,957 ±700 637,212 14,644,735 no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Castro Valley?

The median resident of Castro Valley is 42.9 years old; 20.8% are under 18 and 18.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 33.5%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 32.9%. 31.0% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Castro ValleyAlameda CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median age 42.9 ±1.3 39.0 37.9 no clear change
Under 18 years 20.8% ±1.3 pts 19.8% 22.0% –
65 years and over 18.8% ±1.0 pts 15.4% 15.7% –
Male 49.1% ±1.0 pts 49.6% 49.9% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.8% ±2.1 pts 23.4% 40.2% +4.8 pts
White alone, not Hispanic 33.5% ±2.1 pts 27.4% 33.8% −9.9 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 8.7% ±2.1 pts 9.3% 5.2% no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic 32.9% ±2.1 pts 32.7% 15.3% +5.8 pts
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.1 pts 0.2% 0.3% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.3% ±0.3 pts 0.7% 0.3% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 4.6% ±0.8 pts 5.6% 4.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.2% ±0.1 pts 0.6% 0.6% –
Born outside the United States 31.0% ±2.0 pts 34.7% 27.0% +5.3 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 42.2% ±2.3 pts 47.2% 44.4% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 3.9% ±0.7 pts 3.0% 4.3% –
With a disability 9.8% ±1.1 pts 10.3% 11.6% –
No health insurance coverage 3.3% ±0.8 pts 4.0% 6.6% no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 91.7% ±1.3 pts 88.8% 84.7% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 44.5% ±2.4 pts 52.2% 37.1% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 17.5% ±1.6 pts 23.4% 14.4% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 92.1% ±1.4 pts 87.9% 89.2% –
Moved from another state in the past year 1.0% ±0.6 pts 1.2% 1.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Castro Valley earn?

Half of Castro Valley's 22,021 households earn less than $142,779 a year (±$7,262), against $129,367 in Alameda County and $99,122 in California. In 2015-2019 it was $133,516 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 6.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Castro ValleyAlameda CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $142,779 ±$7,262 $129,367 $99,122 no clear change
Mean household income $175,307 ±$7,400 $177,144 $140,436 –
Per capita income $60,688 ±$3,076 $65,862 $49,513 no clear change
People below the poverty line 6.7% ±1.5 pts 9.2% 12.0% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 5.8% ±3.3 pts 8.8% 15.0% no clear change
Households receiving SNAP 6.7% ±1.3 pts 9.9% 12.4% –
Households with a computer 97.4% ±1.1 pts 97.4% 96.9% –
Households with a broadband subscription 96.7% ±0.9 pts 94.4% 93.5% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Castro Valley?

Owners occupy 72.5% of Castro Valley's occupied homes and renters 27.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,104,600 by its owner (±$21,750). The median renter pays $2,554 a month including utilities, and 45.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Castro ValleyAlameda CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $1,104,600 ±$21,750 $1,090,100 $734,700 +$192,040
Median gross rent $2,554 ±$105 $2,357 $2,036 +$350
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 45.6% ±5.5 pts 41.8% 46.0% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $3,627 ±$152 $3,810 $2,946 –
Owner-occupied homes 72.5% ±2.2 pts 54.4% 55.9% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 27.5% ±2.2 pts 45.6% 44.1% –
Housing units 22,957 ±700 637,212 14,644,735 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.4% ±0.6 pts 0.8% 0.8% –
Rental vacancy rate 5.8% ±2.8 pts 5.7% 4.2% –
Single-family detached homes 73.3% ±2.2 pts 51.0% 57.0% –
Mobile homes 1.5% ±0.6 pts 1.3% 3.5% –
Built 2020 or later 0.7% ±0.4 pts 1.4% 1.3% –
Built 2010 to 2019 2.5% ±0.8 pts 6.8% 6.5% –
Built 1939 or earlier 3.1% ±0.7 pts 19.6% 8.9% –
Households with no vehicle 5.5% ±1.3 pts 10.0% 7.1% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How do people in Castro Valley work and get to work?

62.5% of Castro Valley's workers drive alone and 21.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.8%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Castro ValleyAlameda CountyCalifornia Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 64.1% ±1.6 pts 66.9% 63.8% –
Unemployment rate 3.8% ±0.7 pts 5.4% 6.6% no clear change
Drove alone to work 62.5% ±2.4 pts 52.6% 65.7% –
Carpooled 7.7% ±1.5 pts 8.3% 9.5% –
Public transportation 5.2% ±1.7 pts 7.7% 2.9% –
Walked 1.4% ±0.6 pts 2.8% 2.4% –
Worked from home 21.3% ±2.2 pts 25.7% 17.2% +15.4 pts
Mean travel time to work 32.7 min ±1.3 31.0 min 28.7 min −3.6 min

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Castro Valley?

12 census tracts lie mostly in Castro Valley, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $103,750 (Tract 4310) to $214,477 (Tract 4301.01).

Census tracts in Castro Valley, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (the 12 with the most residents inside it; every tract on the full list)
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Castro Valley
Tract 4302Alameda County7,195 $181,136 $1,229,900100%
Tract 4305Alameda County6,125 $114,408 $908,200100%
Tract 4306Alameda County6,105 $193,606 $1,094,800100%
Tract 4301.01Alameda County6,562 $214,477 $1,366,60091%
Tract 4308Alameda County5,887 $106,016 $1,002,200100%
Tract 4309Alameda County5,539 $120,000 $910,400100%
Tract 4312Alameda County6,033 $122,872 $776,10076%
Tract 4307Alameda County4,132 $145,521 $1,098,400100%
Tract 4303Alameda County4,028 $175,772 $1,200,900100%
Tract 4310Alameda County3,191 $103,750 $814,500100%
Tract 4311Alameda County3,368 $106,473 $821,20093%
Tract 4351.03Alameda County7,020 $189,638 $1,506,10039%

Every census tract in Castro Valley, with its figures

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Castro Valley) · Census block assignment files

How does Castro Valley compare with other places in California?

Castro Valley ranks 170th of 1,037 places in California with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Castro Valley's rank in California (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population (ACS 2020-2024)141st1,076
Residents per square mile323rd1,077
Median household income170th1,037
Per capita income266th1,073
Median home value188th1,054
Median gross rent180th987
Poverty rate665th836
Bachelor's degree or higher293rd988
Median age384th1,075
Owner-occupied share390th1,064
Work from home267th822
Travel time to work246th1,069

Castro Valley's figures with every place in California (CSV)

Every place in California, sortable · Compare Castro Valley with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Castro Valley?

3 of the 57 figures for Castro Valley on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Castro Valley are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.