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Moving to
Piedmont.
The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent, $250,000+ for household income and $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above those.
What it's like to live in Piedmont
Piedmont is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Piedmont deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
How Piedmont compares
Median household income
The Census tops out at $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Median rent (per month)
The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Median home value
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
What it takes to move to Piedmont
Based on Piedmont's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$7,002
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $140,040 a year
- 9% of Piedmont renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$400,000
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $200,000
- Homes cost 8.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingCensus top category
$3,500+/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $3,500+ 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 $2,000,000+. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $2,000,000+ · 9% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Alameda County is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Alameda County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 74% below US
84 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1961/100k · Piedmont Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.7 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 5 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% take public transit; 40% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 72°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 46°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 146% above US
88% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (9 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Piedmont's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (40% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Piedmont
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