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Living in
El Cerrito.
About
Life in El Cerrito
El Cerrito offers a compact, transit-connected lifestyle in the Bay Area with real walkability along the Ohlone Greenway and access to BART at two stations, which helps mitigate some commute pain — though expect 33 minutes on average to reach your job. The median home price of $1.1 million and median rent of $2,548 per month reflect the Bay Area reality, but the median household income of $127,475 and low unemployment at 4.1% suggest the community attracts established professionals and families who can manage the cost. The neighborhood feels genuinely diverse, with residents speaking 15+ languages at home and a balanced mix of families, couples, and older residents; about half of households are married couples and nearly 30% include children.
El Cerrito at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.9%
Foreign-Born
31.4%
Broadband Internet
96.1%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics31.4% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in El Cerrito: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In El Cerrito, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (14.5%), and 8.3% of residents speak Chinese at home.
Under 18
16.9%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.7%
of households
Married Couples
47.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 25% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in El Cerrito
In El Cerrito, rent runs 25% above the CA average, and home values are 53% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$9,367
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,122,098 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in El Cerrito
Unemployment in El Cerrito is 1.4 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 El Cerrito Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute33.3 min avg
How El Cerrito residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In El Cerrito, most residents drive alone to work (41%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 21 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 26% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in El Cerrito runs 26% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
414.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,774.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
El Cerrito 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 El Cerrito, 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.
253 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Contra Costa County, county-wide
El Cerrito is about 2% of Contra Costa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Contra Costa County, which includes El Cerrito, 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
El Cerrito is about 2% of Contra Costa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate74°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
El Cerrito has mild summers (avg high 74°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
22.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
67
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 43°F | 4.84" |
| Feb | 62°F | 45°F | 5.12" |
| Mar | 65°F | 46°F | 3.84" |
| Apr | 67°F | 47°F | 1.83" |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 0.80" |
| Jun | 74°F | 52°F | 0.26" |
| Jul | 74°F | 53°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 75°F | 54°F | 0.05" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 0.12" |
| Oct | 73°F | 52°F | 1.19" |
| Nov | 65°F | 47°F | 2.74" |
| Dec | 59°F | 43°F | 5.32" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in El Cerrito
Uninsured
3.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside El Cerrito's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Berkeley
Ucsf Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
Childrens · ER available · 6 mi away · Oakland
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/richmond
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 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.
Education22.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in El Cerrito
El Cerrito's student/teacher ratio is 22.6:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 67.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
67.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near El Cerrito (within 15 miles)
University of California-Berkeley
4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 33,068 students · in-state tuition $17,198 · 94% graduate · median earnings $100,212 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 15,358 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 32% graduate · median earnings $56,684 (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)
Public · 2-year · 5,203 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 22% graduate · median earnings $45,857 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,487 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $47,627 (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: Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for El Cerrito
El Cerrito has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
3 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
9 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
10 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
12 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
12 mi awayMuir Woods National Monument
National Monument
15 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
16 mi awayPublic Libraries in El Cerrito
El Cerrito Library
6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito
Cities Near El Cerrito
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to El Cerrito?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
El Cerrito FAQ
Is El Cerrito, California affordable?⌄
El Cerrito's median rent is $2,548/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $127,876/year. Median home value is $1,124,400.
Is El Cerrito, California safe?⌄
El Cerrito's violent crime rate was 415 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2774 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in El Cerrito, California?⌄
El Cerrito has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in El Cerrito, California?⌄
The cost of living in El Cerrito is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,548/month and median household income is $127,876/year. The median home value is $1,124,400. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in El Cerrito, California?⌄
The average commute in El Cerrito is 33 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