City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Oakland, CA

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

438,072
Residents
$97,369
Median income
$924,700
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

Oakland - the verdict

Nationally, Oakland sits in the 76th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

76th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
1st
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: Oakland, CA

Oakland is a mid-sized U.S. city in California, home to 438,072 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Oakland brings in $97,369 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.9%. Typical homes in Oakland are valued around $924,700, and the median resident age is 37.6 years. Educational attainment runs 47.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 402 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 78% from five years earlier. Oakland's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 9155.6 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. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Oakland report an average commute of 23.4 minutes, with 47.8% driving alone and 23.4% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

438,072 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$97,369 /yr

Poverty 9.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Oakland compare to other US cities?

Oakland measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Oakland ranks #437 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Oakland 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 places Oakland toward the top of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Oakland ranks #276 - the 79th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Oakland only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#543 of 1,338
59th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#352 of 1,458
71st percentile in California
Median Home Value
#276 of 1,343
79th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#500 of 1,450
65th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#300 of 1,458
79th 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.

76thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

76th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Oakland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Oakland'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 27 Avg. percentile National median
Oakland'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 Oakland's home value compares nationally

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

$924,700 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Oakland $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 - Oakland, CA Oakland, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA median $97,369/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%
Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.1%

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

Population
438,072
Median Income
$97,369
Median Home Value
$924,700
Median Age
37.6
Poverty Rate
9.9%
Labor force participation
64.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
9155.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1925.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
7230.3
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
118
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
434,000 residents436,000 residents438,000 residents440,000 residents442,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 441,157 residents 440,838 residents ▼ -0.1%
Oakland's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
402
housing units authorized
Single-Family
46
detached homes
Multifamily
356
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,862
2020 830
2021 1,351
2022 1,443
2023 479
2024 402

Permit volume decreased 78% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.4 minutes
Drive Alone
47.8%
Carpool
7.2%
Public Transit
14.5%
Walk
3.0%
Work from Home
23.4%
Other
4.1%

Based on 227,272 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 Oakland 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

Long Beach
458,491 people
Bakersfield
408,366 people
Sacramento
524,802 people
Anaheim
344,553 people
Fresno
543,615 people
Stockton
320,470 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Oakland's 438,072 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Miami, FL
446,663 people
Minneapolis, MN
426,845 people
Virginia Beach, VA
457,066 people
Tulsa, OK
412,322 people
Raleigh, NC
470,763 people
Wichita, KS
396,488 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Oakland's $97,369 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake Shore, UT
$97,357 median income
Viera East, FL
$97,386 median income
Waterman, IL
$97,386 median income
Falmouth, PA
$97,386 median income
Barnstable, MA
$97,348 median income
Nephi, UT
$97,348 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 30.5% 21.1% 15.5% 19.6% 11.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 28.9% White 30.5% Black or African American 21.1% Asian 15.5% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 19.6% Two or more races 11.6% 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 Oakland 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
Oakland (this city) 438,072 $97,369
Long Beach 458,491 $83,969
Bakersfield 408,366 $77,397
Sacramento 524,802 $83,753
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Oakland, CA?

What is the population of Oakland, CA? +

438,072 people live in Oakland, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Oakland, the typical household earns $97,369 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Oakland? +

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

Oakland has a total crime rate of 9155.6 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 Oakland, CA? +

The median home value in Oakland is $924,700, 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.