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Living in
Oakland.
About
Life in Oakland
Living in Oakland means embracing a genuinely walkable city where you're close to everything—it ranked in the top ten most walkable American cities—but you'll need to accept that you're in a dense, urban environment with all that entails. Weather-wise, you've basically won the climate lottery: Oakland ranks number one in the nation for climate with 260 sunny days a year, warm dry summers, and cool wet winters (though rain concentrates between November and April), though the hills get more fog than the flatlands and you'll occasionally deal with dry offshore winds that raise fire danger in fall. Recreation is woven into daily life through Lake Merritt, an urban estuary that was the nation's first official wildlife refuge back in 1870 and remains a hub for walking, biking, and community life, plus you've got regional parks and easy access to trails in the hills—but weekends aren't just outdoors, they're also about the neighborhood food scene, cultural events, and exploring what's become a creative hub.
Oakland at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.4%
Foreign-Born
27.5%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
0.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics27.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oakland: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oakland, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.1%), and 22.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.4%
of households
Married Couples
35.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.45
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 about average for CA
Rent, home values, and income in Oakland
In Oakland, home values are 27% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,575
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
42.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1953
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $710,647 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Oakland
Unemployment in Oakland 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 Oakland Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.8 min avg
How Oakland residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oakland, most residents drive alone to work (47%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 14 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 348% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oakland runs 348% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,475.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
5,254.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oakland 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 Oakland, 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.
272 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alameda County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, 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
Climate72°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oakland 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
22.5"
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" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 2.7/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oakland
Oakland has 5 hospitals, averaging 2.7 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.7 / 5
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/richmond
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Highland Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Ucsf Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
Childrens · ER available
- Main campus: Ucsf Benioff Children'S Hospital Oakland · 747 52nd Street
- Outpatient center: Children'S Hospital & Research Center At Oakland · 5275 Claremont Ave, Oakland
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Alameda Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.7 mi away · Alameda
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · San Leandro
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Berkeley
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.
Education19.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oakland
Oakland's student/teacher ratio is 19.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 48.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
121
within city limits
Private Schools
32
within city limits
College Degree Rate
48.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Oakland
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 · 1,946 students · in-state tuition $12,374
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 718 students · 95% graduate · median earnings $151,150 (10 yrs after entry)
Northeastern University Oakland
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 464 students · in-state tuition $71,033 · median earnings $99,371 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 204 students · in-state tuition $14,050 · 76% graduate · median earnings $77,205 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of California-Berkeley
7.3 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
14.2 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
12.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,809 students · in-state tuition $7,993 · 69% graduate · median earnings $73,868 (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 · 4,487 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $47,627 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,456 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $48,574 (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, 11 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oakland
Oakland has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (11 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
11 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
11 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
12 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
12 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
13 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
14 mi awayJohn Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
16 mi awayGolden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
21 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oakland
Bernard E. Witkin Alameda County Law Library
125 Twelfth St., Oakland
Oakland Main Library
125 14th St., Oakland
81st Avenue Branch Library
1021 81st Avenue, Oakland
African American Museum & Library At Oakland
659 14th St., Oakland
Asian Branch Library
388 9th St., Suite 190, Oakland
Brookfield Branch Library
9255 Edes Ave., Oakland
Cesar E. Chavez Branch Library
3301 E. 12th Street, Oakland
Dimond Branch Library
3565 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland
Eastmont Branch Library
7200 Bancroft Ave. Suite 211, Oakland
Elmhurst Branch Library
1427 88th Ave., Oakland
Golden Gate Branch Library
5606 San Pablo Ave., Oakland
Lakeview Branch Library
550 El Embarcadero, Oakland
Cities Near Oakland
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oakland?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oakland FAQ
Is Oakland, California affordable?⌄
Oakland's median rent is $1,979/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $101,600/year. Median home value is $929,900.
Is Oakland, California safe?⌄
Oakland's violent crime rate was 1475 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 5255 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oakland, California?⌄
Oakland has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oakland, California?⌄
The cost of living in Oakland is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,979/month and median household income is $101,600/year. The median home value is $929,900. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oakland, California?⌄
The average commute in Oakland is 30 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