Oakland, California
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Oakland.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Oakland?
Oakland, CA has a MapsToIt housing cost index of 223 (well above the U.S. housing-cost baseline; 100 = U.S. avg). Median home value is about $924,700 and median rent about $1,917, against national ACS medians of $303,400 and $1,348. Median household income is roughly $97,369. Typical commute is 33 minutes; summer highs average 72°F. Violent-offense rates run about 1271.8 per 100k (catalog avg 586.6).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 223U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $924,700U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,917U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $97,369U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 4.6%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 33 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 1271.8per 100k · avg 586.6
- Summer high
- 72°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Oakland compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 443,554City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $97,369Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year24% above U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 223ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year123% above U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $924,700City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year205% above U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,917City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year42% above U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 4.6%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026Near U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts - Avg commute
- 33 min32% above U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 7260% above U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 1271.8annualized per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)117% above U.S. avgU.S. 586.6 - Property crime rate
- 6420.7annualized per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)108% above U.S. avgU.S. 3087.9 - Summer high
- 72°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals15.0°F below U.S. avgU.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 43°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals9.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 18.7 inAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals43% below U.S. avgU.S. 33 in
- Sunny days
- 297As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals11% above U.S. avgU.S. 268
Population trend
Oakland grew 13.3% from 391,406 in 2010 to 443,554 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Oakland expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Oakland's housing cost index is 223 versus 100 nationally — well above the U.S. housing-cost baseline. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($924,700 vs $303,400) and rents ($1,917 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 223 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $924,700 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,917 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Oakland?
Typical ownership costs center near $924,700, while median gross rent is about $1,917 a month. Against a median household income of $97,369, rent alone is roughly 24% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $924,700
- Median rent $1,917/month
- Median household income $97,369
What is the job market like in Oakland?
County unemployment recently ran 4.6% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Oakland is about $97,369 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 4.6% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $97,369
How long is the typical commute in Oakland?
Average one-way commute time is about 33 minutes, with Walk Score near 72/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 33 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 72/100
Is Oakland safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 1271.8 per 100k and property about 6420.7 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 586.6 and 3087.9. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 1271.8 per 100k
- Property 6420.7 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Oakland?
Normals show summer highs near 72°F, winter lows near 43°F, about 18.7 inches of rain, and roughly 297 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 72°F
- Winter low 43°F
- 18.7 in rain · 297 sunny days
Oakland, California counts about 443,554 residents inside the city limits. Median household income is roughly $97,369, while the ACS housing-cost index sits near 223 — well above the national housing-cost baseline (100 ≈ U.S. average). Ownership is a high bar — typical values near $924,700 push many newcomers toward renting first.
Oakland sits in that mid-to-large city band where urban and quieter residential pockets often share one municipal boundary. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Oakland with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Pacific weather, wildfire seasons, and housing scarcity dominate relocation tradeoffs. Roughly 297 sunny days a year give outdoor routines unusual calendar reliability. Plan on roughly 33 minutes each way for a typical commute; Walk Score is about 72. Unemployment recently ran near 4.6%, broadly in line with many large U.S. counties. FBI CDE violent-offense rates run comparatively high (~1271.8 per 100k annualized), so block-by-block due diligence is especially important.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Oakland city, 1600000US0653000) — As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · Alameda County, July 2026 — As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time — As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00023230 OAKLAND METRO INTL AP) — As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-09-10