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Living in
Alameda.
About
Life in Alameda
Moving to Alameda means island living without isolation—you're part of the Bay Area but geographically set apart, which creates a real neighborhood feel that's becoming harder to find around here. The job market is solid locally, but most people still commute to San Francisco or deeper into the Bay—plan for about 32 minutes on average, though it varies wildly depending on where you work and how you travel. The weather is genuinely pleasant: warm, dry summers without the heat of inland areas, and cool, wet winters with modest rainfall around 22 inches annually.
Alameda at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Foreign-Born
25.7%
Broadband Internet
95.0%
of households
Population Growth
-1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.7% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Alameda: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alameda, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (17.3%), and 9.5% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
17.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.7%
of households
Married Couples
50.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Alameda
In Alameda, rent runs 22% above the CA average, and home values are 68% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,949
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,145,869 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Alameda
Unemployment in Alameda is 0.7 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Alameda Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute31.6 min avg
How Alameda residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alameda, most residents drive alone to work (44%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 12 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 6% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Alameda runs 6% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
348.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,555.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Alameda Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Alameda County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Alameda County, which includes Alameda, the most common type is flood, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 16 | Flood | $140 |
| 2023 | 16 | High Wind | $30 |
| 2022 | 13 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 18 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 21 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 21 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
267 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alameda County, county-wide
Alameda is about 5% of Alameda County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Alameda County, which includes Alameda, is typically good — 194 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
194
per year
Moderate Days
171
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Alameda County, county-wide
Alameda is about 5% of Alameda County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate72°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alameda has mild summers (avg high 72°F) and warm winters (avg low 46°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
72°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
61°/46°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
63
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 45°F | 4.35" |
| Feb | 62°F | 47°F | 4.35" |
| Mar | 65°F | 49°F | 3.21" |
| Apr | 67°F | 50°F | 1.37" |
| May | 69°F | 53°F | 0.75" |
| Jun | 72°F | 55°F | 0.20" |
| Jul | 72°F | 57°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 73°F | 58°F | 0.05" |
| Sep | 75°F | 57°F | 0.10" |
| Oct | 73°F | 55°F | 1.13" |
| Nov | 66°F | 49°F | 2.44" |
| Dec | 60°F | 45°F | 4.66" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alameda
Alameda has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Alameda Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Alameda Hospital · 2070 Clinton Avenue
- Hospital campus: San Leandro Hospital · 13855 E 14th St, San Leandro
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Telecare Heritage Psychiatric Health Facility
Psychiatric · 3.8 mi away · Oakland
Highland Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Oakland
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.5 mi away · Oakland
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education23.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alameda
Alameda's student/teacher ratio is 23.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 61.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
61.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Alameda
Public · 2-year · 4,487 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $47,627 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of California-Berkeley
8.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 33,068 students · in-state tuition $17,198 · 94% graduate · median earnings $100,212 (10 yrs after entry)
San Francisco State University
11.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 18,639 students · in-state tuition $8,324 · 67% graduate · median earnings $73,299 (10 yrs after entry)
California State University-East Bay
13.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,809 students · in-state tuition $7,993 · 69% graduate · median earnings $73,868 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 7,620 students · in-state tuition $1,332 · 27% graduate · median earnings $62,578 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,842 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,812 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,287 students · in-state tuition $62,462 · 75% graduate · median earnings $94,613 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Alcatraz Island, 9 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alameda
Alameda has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Alcatraz Island (9 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Alcatraz Island
National Park Site
9 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
9 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
11 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
11 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
12 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
14 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
17 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
19 mi awayPublic Libraries in Alameda
Alameda Free Library
1550 Oak St, Alameda
Bay Farm Island Branch
3221 Mecartney Rd., Alameda
West End Branch
788 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda
Cities Near Alameda
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alameda?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alameda FAQ
Is Alameda, California affordable?⌄
Alameda's median rent is $2,474/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $137,697/year. Median home value is $1,235,700.
Is Alameda, California safe?⌄
Alameda's violent crime rate was 348 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3555 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alameda, California?⌄
Alameda has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alameda, California?⌄
The cost of living in Alameda is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,474/month and median household income is $137,697/year. The median home value is $1,235,700. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alameda, California?⌄
The average commute in Alameda is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from