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Living in
Brentwood.
About
Life in Brentwood
Brentwood offers a suburban lifestyle with strong schools and family-oriented neighborhoods, but it's important to understand what living here actually entails. The median home price hovers around $836,600, and while household incomes are solid at nearly $140,000, commutes are a real factor—averaging 41 minutes—since there's limited public transit and you'll likely be driving to employment centers elsewhere in the Bay Area. The city has undergone rapid residential development, particularly around golf courses and gated communities, which appeals to some but means you're living in actively expanding subdivisions rather than an established urban core.
Brentwood at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Foreign-Born
19.3%
Broadband Internet
96.6%
of households
Population Growth
+3.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Brentwood: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brentwood, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (21.9%), and 14.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.3%
of residents
65 and Older
15.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
43.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.1%
of households
Married Couples
65.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.05
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 35% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Brentwood
In Brentwood, rent runs 35% above the CA average, and home values are 14% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,257
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
82.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $782,072 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Brentwood
Unemployment in Brentwood is 0.6 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 Brentwood Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute40 min avg
How Brentwood residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brentwood, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 44% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK)
Regional airport · few flights66k passengers boarded in 2025
- 32 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 43 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 39% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brentwood runs 39% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
202.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,568.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brentwood Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Contra Costa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Contra Costa County, which includes Brentwood, the most common type is strong wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 11 | Flood | $70 |
| 2023 | 9 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 12 | Strong Wind | $10 |
| 2021 | 12 | Strong Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 18 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 32 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 16 | 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.
287 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Contra Costa County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Contra Costa County, which includes Brentwood, is typically good — 195 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
48
Good Days
195
per year
Moderate Days
168
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Contra Costa County, county-wide
Climate89°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brentwood has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
12.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
64
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
7
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
50
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 40°F | 2.68" |
| Feb | 61°F | 44°F | 2.36" |
| Mar | 67°F | 47°F | 1.95" |
| Apr | 72°F | 50°F | 0.91" |
| May | 79°F | 54°F | 0.38" |
| Jun | 86°F | 59°F | 0.11" |
| Jul | 91°F | 61°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 90°F | 60°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 87°F | 59°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 78°F | 54°F | 0.42" |
| Nov | 65°F | 46°F | 1.18" |
| Dec | 56°F | 40°F | 2.53" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brentwood
Uninsured
2.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Brentwood's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Antioch
Sutter Delta Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Antioch
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.
Education23.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brentwood
Brentwood's student/teacher ratio is 23.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 39.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Brentwood (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 7,320 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,834 (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: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, 18 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brentwood
Brentwood has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (18 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
18 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
19 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
23 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
39 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
39 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
42 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
42 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brentwood
Brentwood Library
104 Oak Street, Brentwood
Cities Near Brentwood
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Brentwood?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Brentwood FAQ
Is Brentwood, California affordable?⌄
Brentwood's median rent is $2,758/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $142,494/year. Median home value is $836,600.
Is Brentwood, California safe?⌄
Brentwood's violent crime rate was 202 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1568 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brentwood, California?⌄
Brentwood has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brentwood, California?⌄
The cost of living in Brentwood is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,758/month and median household income is $142,494/year. The median home value is $836,600. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brentwood, California?⌄
The average commute in Brentwood is 40 minutes, which is significantly 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