City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

San Leandro, CA

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

88,531
Residents
$98,063
Median income
$813,600
Median home
$2,912
Median rent (state)

San Leandro - the verdict

Nationally, San Leandro sits in the 77th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

77th
percentile, household income
95th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
5th
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: San Leandro, CA

San Leandro is a small city in California, home to 88,531 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. San Leandro households earn a median of $98,063 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.9%. Home values in San Leandro run a median of $813,600, and the median resident age is 41.5 years. Educational attainment runs 33.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 65 residential building permits were authorized in San Leandro (Building Boom), up 71% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. San Leandro's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4471.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. 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. Commute times here average 28.3 minutes, with 61.8% driving alone and 12.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

88,531 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$98,063 /yr

Poverty 4.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does San Leandro compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 77% higher than other cities
Home value 95% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% 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, San Leandro ranks #421 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 San Leandro'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.

77thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

77th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

San Leandro's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

San Leandro'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
San Leandro'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 San Leandro's home value compares nationally

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

$813,600 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. San Leandro $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 - San Leandro, CA San Leandro, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not San Leandro, 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 San Leandro, CA median $98,063/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%
San Leandro, 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 San Leandro, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.5%

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

Population
88,531
Median Income
$98,063
Median Home Value
$813,600
Median Age
41.5
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Labor force participation
61.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4471.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
548.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3922.8
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
18
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
84,000 residents86,000 residents88,000 residents90,000 residents92,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 90,731 residents 85,353 residents ▼ -5.9%
San Leandro's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
65
housing units authorized
Single-Family
65
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 38
2020 20
2021 54
2022 285
2023 48
2024 65

Permit volume increased 71% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
28.3 minutes
Drive Alone
61.8%
Carpool
11.6%
Public Transit
10.4%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
12.8%
Other
1.9%

Based on 44,710 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 San Leandro 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

Santa Barbara
88,024 people
Merced
89,766 people
Citrus Heights
87,036 people
Westminster
90,147 people
Manteca
86,521 people
Hemet
90,646 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to San Leandro's 88,531 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Greenville, NC
88,540 people
Newton, MA
88,504 people
Lawrence, MA
88,297 people
Champaign, IL
88,822 people
Bloomington, MN
88,838 people
Santa Fe, NM
88,224 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to San Leandro's $98,063 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Jimmerson Lake, IN
$98,060 median income
Lake Hart, FL
$98,068 median income
Victor, NY
$98,068 median income
Winter Park, FL
$98,076 median income
North Bend, OH
$98,047 median income
Indian Harbour Beach, FL
$98,046 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - San Leandro, 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 San Leandro, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 25.3% 9.9% 35.1% 14.6% 12.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 28.8% White 25.3% Black or African American 9.9% Asian 35.1% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 1.3% Some other race 14.6% Two or more races 12.4% 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 San Leandro 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
San Leandro (this city) 88,531 $98,063
Santa Barbara 88,024 $101,672
Merced 89,766 $59,938
Citrus Heights 87,036 $77,167
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about San Leandro, CA?

What is the population of San Leandro, CA? +

The population of San Leandro, CA stands at 88,531 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in San Leandro, CA? +

In San Leandro, the typical household earns $98,063 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in San Leandro? +

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

San Leandro has a total crime rate of 4471.5 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 San Leandro, CA? +

Homes in San Leandro carry a median value of $813,600, 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 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.