What it's like to live in Antioch
Antioch is a mid-size city in California with household incomes running above the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Antioch deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Long commutes
- Air quality concerns
How Antioch compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Antioch
Based on Antioch's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,556
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $91,120 a year
- 60% of Antioch renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$125,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $62,970
- Homes cost 6.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 61% above US
$2,278/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,278 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $629,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $629,700 · 60% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 30% above US
5.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.6%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 131% above US
762 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2457/100k · Antioch Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 62% above US
42 min average commute
Commutes run long, averaging 42 minutes, and that's just the average, meaning a lot of people are doing significantly more. This isn't a city where living far from the office is a comfortable bet. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
27 public schools inside the boundary
There are 27 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (14 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Antioch's strongest point is household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,278/mo) equals 28% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.
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