City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Hayward, CA

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

159,201
Residents
$113,775
Median income
$820,700
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Hayward - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Hayward lands in the 85th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

85th
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
7th
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: Hayward, CA

California's Hayward is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 159,201 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Hayward brings in $113,775 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Home values in Hayward run a median of $820,700, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. Educational attainment runs 32.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 174 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 87% from five years earlier. Hayward's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4133.8 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).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,912 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Hayward workers runs 29.5 minutes, with 66.8% driving alone and 12.3% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

159,201 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$113,775 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Hayward compare to other US cities?

Here's how Hayward stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 85% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% 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, Hayward ranks #412 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

Each percentile compares Hayward against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of California's city distribution

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Hayward ranks #349 - the 74th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Hayward only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#370 of 1,338
72nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#352 of 1,458
71st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#349 of 1,343
74th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#723 of 1,450
50th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#566 of 1,458
61st percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

85thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

85th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hayward's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hayward'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Hayward'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 Hayward's home value compares nationally

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

$820,700 5th percentile more affordable than 5% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hayward $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 - Hayward, CA Hayward, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hayward, 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 Hayward, CA median $113,775/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%
Hayward, 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 Hayward, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.2%

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

Population
159,201
Median Income
$113,775
Median Home Value
$820,700
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
63.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4133.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
477.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3656.7
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.

Schools

Total Schools
41
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
156,000 residents158,000 residents160,000 residents162,000 residents164,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 162,692 residents 157,113 residents ▼ -3.4%
Hayward's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
174
housing units authorized
Single-Family
160
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,348
2020 538
2021 334
2022 390
2023 170
2024 174

Permit volume decreased 87% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
29.5 minutes
Drive Alone
66.8%
Carpool
12.6%
Public Transit
5.1%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
12.3%
Other
2.1%

Based on 78,259 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 Hayward 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
99.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Corona
158,839 people
Salinas
161,993 people
Sunnyvale
153,455 people
Palmdale
165,487 people
Roseville
152,438 people
Escondido
149,913 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hayward's 159,201 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Paterson, NJ
157,660 people
Murfreesboro, TN
157,547 people
Alexandria, VA
156,788 people
Macon-Bibb County, GA
156,543 people
Lakewood, CO
156,309 people
Killeen, TX
156,144 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hayward's $113,775 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Stonybrook, PA
$113,789 median income
Briarwood Estates, MO
$113,750 median income
Chestnut Ridge, NY
$113,750 median income
Pinopolis, SC
$113,750 median income
Braselton, GA
$113,810 median income
Carrollton, VA
$113,813 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hayward, 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 Hayward, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 19.6% 9.0% 29.6% 24.7% 13.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 40.9% White 19.6% Black or African American 9.0% Asian 29.6% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 2.6% Some other race 24.7% Two or more races 13.3% 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 Hayward 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
Hayward (this city) 159,201 $113,775
Corona 158,839 $106,438
Salinas 161,993 $89,150
Sunnyvale 153,455 $181,862
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hayward, CA?

What is the population of Hayward, CA? +

The population of Hayward, CA stands at 159,201 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Hayward households earn a median of $113,775 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hayward? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hayward; 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 Hayward, CA safe? +

Hayward has a total crime rate of 4133.8 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 Hayward, CA? +

The median home value in Hayward is $820,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.