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Living in
Benicia.
About
Life in Benicia
Living in Benicia means settling into a quieter, more established community than you'll find in flashier Bay Area destinations. The median home price hovers around $810,000 with median rent at $2,280, so affordability is tight—typical for the region—but the median household income of $121,204 reflects a fairly affluent, educated population with about 46% holding college degrees. It's the kind of place where you're likely to know your neighbors, with nearly 53% married-couple households and a median age of 45.8 suggesting a stable, family-oriented demographic.
Benicia at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
44.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Foreign-Born
13.1%
Broadband Internet
97.2%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.1% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Benicia: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Benicia, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (23.5%), and 7.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
23.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
45.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
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 12% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Benicia
In Benicia, rent runs 12% above the CA average, and home values are 10% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
37.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,288
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $780,445 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Benicia
Unemployment in Benicia is 1.2 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 Benicia Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.7 min avg
How Benicia residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Benicia, most residents drive alone to work (66%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 32 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 77% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Benicia runs 77% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
76
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
828.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Benicia Police Department
Natural DisastersDrought most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Solano County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Solano County, which includes Benicia, the most common type is drought, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 13 | Flood | None reported |
| 2023 | 16 | Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 19 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 28 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 11 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 7 | High Wind | $5,000 |
| 2018 | 6 | Heat | Not estimated |
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.
252 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Solano County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Solano County, which includes Benicia, is typically good — 353 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
353
per year
Moderate Days
3
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Solano County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Benicia has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
21.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
36
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
5
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
62
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 42°F | 4.46" |
| Feb | 63°F | 45°F | 3.58" |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 3.18" |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 1.45" |
| May | 78°F | 51°F | 0.80" |
| Jun | 83°F | 54°F | 0.22" |
| Jul | 85°F | 56°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 86°F | 56°F | 0.04" |
| Sep | 86°F | 57°F | 0.08" |
| Oct | 79°F | 54°F | 1.02" |
| Nov | 66°F | 47°F | 2.17" |
| Dec | 58°F | 42°F | 4.49" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Benicia
Uninsured
2.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Benicia's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Martinez
Sutter Solano Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.2 mi away · Vallejo
Adventist Health Vallejo
Psychiatric · 6.2 mi away · Vallejo
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.
Education22.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Benicia
Benicia's student/teacher ratio is 22.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 47.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Benicia (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 15,358 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 32% graduate · median earnings $56,684 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 5,203 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 22% graduate · median earnings $45,857 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 804 students · in-state tuition $10,310 · 66% graduate · median earnings $105,475 (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: John Muir National Historic Site, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Benicia
Benicia has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being John Muir National Historic Site (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
John Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
7 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
16 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
18 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
22 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
23 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
25 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
26 mi awayPublic Libraries in Benicia
Benicia Public Library
150 E. L St., Benicia
Cities Near Benicia
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Benicia?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Benicia FAQ
Is Benicia, California affordable?⌄
Benicia's median rent is $2,280/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $121,204/year. Median home value is $810,000.
Is Benicia, California safe?⌄
Benicia's violent crime rate was 76 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 828 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Benicia, California?⌄
Benicia has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Benicia, California?⌄
The cost of living in Benicia is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,280/month and median household income is $121,204/year. The median home value is $810,000. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Benicia, California?⌄
The average commute in Benicia is 29 minutes, which is about 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